Tax

Advice on Moroccan and international tax

Taxation in Morocco: make sure you have a complete picture to succeed in your tax strategy  

Morocco, like any other country, is subject to seemingly endless tax reforms. While a number of measures designed to stimulate investment and exports were launched in 2018, the changes expected by 2020 on  Moroccan taxation, appear less favourable since the third tax forum (Assises de la Fiscalité) held in the city of Skhirat. An increase in the tax burden is particularly to be expected. The proliferation of these measures, as well as the ambiguity of some texts (resulting in the current overhaul of the General Tax Code) make the Moroccan tax environment complicated and difficult to understand, both technically and in practice. While tax audits are on the rise (recruitment and the digital transformation of the general tax directorate have significantly improved the number of inspections), it is more vital than ever to define a tax strategy tailored to your business that can protect you against tax risks and even reduce your tax burden in Morocco. 

An ability to handle every component of your Moroccan tax strategy 

Our dedicated team, is organised into four departments (audit and advice, tax litigation, taxation of transfer pricing and wealth tax and personal tax) and covers all areas of taxation:  

• general taxation of private and public companies;  
• wealth tax and personal tax;  
• taxation of settlement transactions; 
• financial taxation;   
• real-estate taxation;   
• transfer price taxation; 
• local taxes;  
• alternative remuneration (stock options, profit-sharing, etc.).  

Our organisation – based on cooperation between our legal and tax advisors, experts in these various areas of taxation as well as experts in other areas of business law – ensures we have a comprehensive understanding of all your national and international issues. 

Ad-hoc advice or long-term support in Moroccan and international taxation 

Do your practices comply with applicable regulations? We can conduct a tax review of your situation and procedures to reduce or eliminate your risks. We will guide you as required in implementing the necessary corrective measures. Do you have an investment or restructuring project? We will advise and support you with your business creation projects, asset transfers, mergers and acquisitions or winding-up. Are you looking to secure your international operations with companies in your group? Our team of lawyers specialising in foreign exchange regulations and our tax specialists specialising in transfer pricing offer you support ranging from simple documentary compliance to negotiation of preliminary agreements with the Moroccan tax authorities. 

In case of tax pre-litigation or litigation, we will assist and defend you throughout the proceedings in your exchanges and negotiations with the Moroccan tax authorities, in most cases seeking to obtain an amicable agreement rather than taking the judicial route. 

Expertise recognised in Morocco and internationally 

Our expertise is based on a continuous exchange of information and experiences between the various CMS offices and our in-depth and constantly updated knowledge of the applicable regulatory framework. This guarantees the validity of our tax recommendations in Morocco and internationally.  

But the effectiveness of our commitment to you is also, and perhaps above all, the result of our long experience. We favour a pragmatic approach, rooted in our practical knowledge of case law and the very specific workings of the Moroccan authorities. Our advisors not only master the detail of tax legislation, but also and most importantly its potential applications.  

The local and international recognition enjoyed by CMS is also a significant asset in defending your interests.

Quotes 2023