{"id":682081,"date":"2026-01-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/?p=682081"},"modified":"2026-01-20T12:35:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T12:35:24","slug":"property-tax-law-amendments-are-on-the-horizon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2026\/01\/04\/property-tax-law-amendments-are-on-the-horizon\/","title":{"rendered":"Property Tax Law amendments are on the horizon"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning, friends. <\/strong>We hope you all had a wonderful weekend. The new year is off to a macro-heavy start here at EnterpriseAM. We lead this morning with a report on how the Madbouly government hopes to use its divestment program to line up high-impact investment that will build both FX reserves and a more resilient economy. <\/p>\n

We\u2019re also looking at what to watch for on the EGP and in the banking sector in 2026. <\/strong>And in the latest sign that fractional ownership could be the next big thing in real estate, we have news that our friends at GRANITE are kicking the tires on a real estate fund \u2014 potentially joining a roster of names that includes Bonyan, Madine Masr, and Halan. <\/p>\n

Watch this space<\/p>\n

<\/a> TAX \u2014 <\/strong>The <\/strong>Senate will <\/strong>start today two days of debate<\/a><\/strong> on a 10-point overhaul of the <\/strong>Property Tax Law<\/strong>, aimed at digitizing collection and addressing long-standing complaints over valuation and penalties. The proposed amendments include the launch of a unified digital declaration system and a new cap on late payment penalties to bring more properties into the formal tax base.<\/p>\n

To account for soaring inflation, the Finance Ministry is suggesting that the annual rental value exemption threshold rise to EGP 50k<\/strong>, effectively shielding primary residences with a market value of up to EGP 4 mn.<\/p>\n

A push by the Senate: <\/strong>Some in the Senate, the nation\u2019s upper house of parliament, are reportedly advocating to double that threshold to EGP 100k (equivalent to an EGP 8 mn market value), a source tells EnterpriseAM, reflecting real market conditions.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next:<\/strong> The ministry is expected to conduct a \u201crevenue impact assessment\u201d of the Senate's EGP 8 mn proposal this week. Watch for whether they land on a tiered exemption or a hard cap that prioritizes the EGP 29 bn property tax collection target for next fiscal year, up from EGP 18 bn in the current budget.<\/p>\n

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CUSTOMS \u2014 The Finance Ministry has given importers a <\/strong>temporary six-month break<\/a><\/strong> on the fee charged to verify documents on incoming air shipments under the<\/strong> Advance Cargo Information<\/a><\/strong> (<\/strong>ACI) system. <\/strong>The move comes as ACI registration became mandatory for all airborne shipments starting 1 January. The move will see the verification cost decline to USD 95 from USD 175<\/a>, per a cabinet statement.<\/p>\n

Why does it matter? <\/strong>It\u2019s a carrot-and-stick approach to ensure 100% compliance by mid-2026. ACI regulations require documents on each cargo to be uploaded before shipment \u2014 just like the API (or Advance Passenger Information) flag when you register to fly as a passenger. Failure to provide ACI data can result in goods being barred from entry and see them re-exported at the importer's expense. <\/p>\n

BACKGROUND- <\/strong>Egypt began applying ACI on sea freight in 2021 as it accounts for a vast majority of Egypt\u2019s trade traffic, head of the Egyptian Customs Authority Ahmad Amawi told EnterpriseAM in an interview last month<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> FINANCE \u2014 After cementing their position in the GCC, what\u2019s next for our friends at <\/strong>EFG Hermes? <\/strong>While Iraq is on the firm\u2019s radar, the next geographic frontier for the firm could be Morocco, where it is exploring non-banking financial services opportunities, Group CEO Karim Awad said during an interview with the Hapi Podcast (watch, runtime: 1:07:40<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Happening today <\/p>\n

The Secretariat of the House of Representatives is officially open for business in the<\/strong> New <\/strong>Capital <\/strong>as it prepares to seat the incoming class of parliamentarians<\/strong>, according to a statement<\/a>. Starting today, Secretary-General Ahmed Manaa and his team will start issuing credentials to newly elected MPs for the 2026\u20132031 legislative term. <\/p>\n

Why the paperwork matters: <\/strong>The registration cycle marks one of the first major operational tests for the House at its new permanent home.<\/p>\n

The logistics:<\/strong> The Secretariat has designed a staggered three-day onboarding window to manage the influx of both individual and party-list winners, starting with MPs from Cairo, Qalyubia, Dakahlia, and Menoufia today. The process will wrap on Tuesday. <\/p>\n

Who\u2019s going to be speaker? <\/strong>It\u2019s still TBD, but chatter in the local press is tipping Rep. Eid Mahgoub as speaker, with Ahmed Saad Eddin and Assem El Gazar as deputy speakers. <\/p>\n

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News triggers<\/p>\n

<\/a> It\u2019s the first week of January<\/strong> \u2014 here are the key news triggers to keep your eyes on this month:<\/p>\n