LF, Covid-19, inflation: the CGEM plans for 2023

After two years that have not been easy, employers want to forget the coronavirus and list their ambitious projects for 2023.

The time has come to definitively turn the page on the crisis that has been shaking the world for two years and, already, to approach 2023. This is the main message that the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) wanted transmit to its members during its ordinary general meeting (AGO) on Friday, held under the chairmanship of Chakib Alj. Without delay, the CGEM also announced that it was filing its proposals relating to the 2023 Finance Law with the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The employers point out that the said proposals were formulated at the end of a process which started in February 2022, in order to anticipate and integrate all the requests from the federations. Alj, who commends the “quality work” carried out by the Taxation and Customs Commission and the CGEM group in the House of Advisors, revealed, in the same vein, that the Investment Charter, which is currently being operationalization, is one of the major priorities of the CGEM, emphasizing that this Royal project, which aims to create 500,000 jobs, complements all the existing support and investment incentive mechanisms.

The objective is to reverse the proportion of private/public investment, to reach 2/3 for the private and 1/3 for the public by 2035, he recalled, noting that the government also shows a commitment strongly, within the framework of this charter, in favor of greater competitiveness for companies, whether in terms of taxation, land, access to public procurement or the simplification of administrative procedures.

With regard to payment deadlines, Alj noted that the CGEM has been working for several months to accelerate the promulgation of the law amending and supplementing law n°15-95 establishing the Commercial Code and enacting specific provisions relating to these time limit. “The boss of bosses” also mentioned the project to reform the decree relating to public procurement.

“We are closely monitoring this reform, through a dedicated task force, so that it brings benefits for companies”, he underlined before emphasizing the development of “Made in Morocco”. , indicating that specifications dedicated to this label are being prepared.

“To promote our industry and our national production and reduce our dependence on imports, we are currently working with the Ministry of Industry and Trade on specifications dedicated to the Made in Morocco label, with the aim of granting companies a tool to enhance their products and this, in compliance with the technical specifications and safety standards in force, and with the aim of encouraging local added value and promoting the Morocco brand on the domestic and export markets. , he said.

And to continue: “I invite all manufacturers to take an interest in and adhere to this label, which will cover the entire value chain, from production to the end consumer, including distribution and marketing”. Alj also noted that at the international level, the CGEM continues to deploy its roadmap to support companies in their internationalization and contribute to the influence of Morocco as a reliable investment destination.

“To this end, we are continuing our close collaboration with employers around the world and the establishment of new partnerships and new business councils that I invite you to join depending on the markets that interest you”, he added. he underlined.2

He also highlighted the “fundamental work” carried out with “Business Europe”, representing the European private sector, for the modernization of the Morocco-EU association agreement, which dates from 2000, so that it takes taking into account the Kingdom’s progress, made over the past 20 years, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, as well as the new economic realities, in particular those generated by the Covid-19 pandemic and by the tensions in Eastern Europe Is, such as rising prices of raw materials and freight.

“Our goal is to enable Moroccan companies to fully seize new opportunities that arise and to position our economy in global and regional value chains,” he said. For his part, the general vice-president of the CGEM, Mehdi Tazi highlighted, on this occasion, the importance of the Investment Charter, exposing to this effect its various objectives.

These include, in particular, the creation of stable jobs, the reduction of disparities between the provinces and prefectures of the Kingdom in terms of attracting investment, the increase in the share of private investment, national and international, in the total investments made, the improvement of the business environment and finally the facilitation of the act of investing.

This AGO saw the approval of the moral report for 2021, the financial report relating to the same year, the report of the statutory auditor on the 2021 financial year and the accounts and discharge to the presidency and to the Board of Directors of the CGEM .

Khadim Mbaye / ECO Inspirations