Analysis of the 2026 Finance Law: Economic Analysis and Tax Measures
On January 6, 2026, members of the IACE and several experts gathered at the headquarters of the Arab Institute of Business Leaders to discuss the theme "2026 Finance Law: Economic Analysis and Tax Measures." The meeting aimed to dissect the state budget, measure its risks, and question the consistency of tax choices.
Objective and Debates
The objective was to identify risks and evaluate the consistency of tax measures with the country's economic and social priorities. The debates focused primarily on modernizing the tax system, tax amnesty, and the issue of budget sustainability. A major axis of modernization concerns the generalization of electronic invoicing.
Electronic Invoicing
Experts, including Fayçal Derbel, Mohamed Triki, and Noureddine Friaa, recalled that the legal framework for e-invoicing already exists but remains largely unapplied. As of January 1, 2026, the obligation becomes effective and is accompanied by a stricter penalty regime. Fines are provided for non-compliant or untransmitted invoices via the electronic system, as well as a global fine in case of generalized non-compliance with obligations. This reform will apply gradually to all service providers and merchants, including in inland regions, with the ambition of broadening the tax base and better tracing transactions.
Operational Complexity
The speakers emphasized the operational complexity of this digital transition: choice of computer solutions, integration of formats, certification of systems, adaptation of internal procedures. They noted that private providers can support businesses, but the success of the reform also depends on the support of the administration and the ability of economic actors, particularly small structures, to appropriate these tools.
Cash Payments
The finance law also revisits the sensitive issue of cash payments, particularly for the acquisition of cars and real estate. The old regulation required the mandatory mention of the payment method in contracts exceeding a certain threshold. In practice, many actors circumvented the rule by underestimating amounts or massively using cash. The new provisions aim to relax certain formal requirements to limit blockages at the time of registration while maintaining vigilance over tax risks related to cash use. Companies remain exposed to sanctions, ranging from fines to rejection of tax deductions.
Tax Amnesty and Voluntary Regularization
Another important aspect of the 2026 finance law concerns tax amnesty and voluntary regularization. In line with previous devices, this mechanism offers taxpayers the opportunity to regularize undeclared or incomplete declarations, unregistered contracts, or undeclared income and dividends.
Domiciliation and Repatriation of Export Receipts
Discussions also focused on domiciliation and repatriation of export receipts. Historically, the repatriation deadline for foreign exchange has gone from 30 to 60 to 120 days. Parliamentarians propose to relax this framework by prioritizing bank proof (credit notices, Swift messages, etc.) rather than a strictly customs approach and authorizing a broader use of foreign currency or convertible dinar accounts with local financial institutions.
Conclusion
According to IACE Executive Director Majdi Hassen, private companies, which are at the heart of wealth creation, only ensure 53% of the state's tax revenues. The General Directorate of Taxes has approximately 103,000 active and declared companies, compared to nearly 800,000 informal, unrecorded structures, which strongly limits the diversification and progression of revenues. For the IACE, all these findings argue for better consistency between tax policies, economic modernization objectives, and societal expectations.
