Increase in diesel prices: Road transporters get the subsidy they asked for
TRUCK drivers have just won their case. At the end of the meeting they held on Monday, March 14, with Mohamed Abdeljalil and Fouzi Lakjaa, respectively Minister of Transport and Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, they received confirmation about the establishment of a public aid. The subsidy, which has been requested for several weeks, will be distributed to all road transport operators: transport of personnel, passengers, goods, and even taxi drivers… The two ministers announced to participants that a platform should be put online within two weeks. The road transport professionals affected by the increase in diesel prices will be asked to register and to provide information about their fleet, diesel consumption, personnel, turnover, and other information.
According to one participant, only companies that are in compliance with their social security (CNSS) and tax obligations are eligible for the subsidy. This could be a problem, especially since the informal sector represents about 40% of the freight transport sector. In principle, as was the case for previous public aid measures, a company that does not comply may not receive public funds. This will not solve the issue of informal operators, some of whom regularly threaten to go on strike. The government could also be faced with the complicated case of taxi drivers. A few years ago, following the liberalization of fuel, the Government tried to provide assistance to taxi drivers. The problem of eligibility arose, knowing that a single taxi involves at least three people: the holder of taxi license, the vehicle owner, and the driver(s).
Moreover, transportation professionals are waiting to know the scale of the subsidy, its basis of calculation, its duration, and other factors. The fact of registering on the platform does not automatically mean for a carrier that the aid will be served to the applicant. The subsidy that has been much asked for by road transport professionals across all its segments should be distributed as long as diesel prices continue to rise, the goal being to avoid that the consumer be impacted by the big fluctuations of fuel prices that affect all products. In some cases, those fluctuations are an excuse for unjustified price hikes.
The meeting of Monday, March 14 with the two ministers was once again an opportunity for professionals to present the problems of the sector. Among these is of course the increase in VAT, which should rise from 14% to 20%. At least, this is the request of truck drivers. This is a measure aimed at increasing the amount of the value added tax recovered by transport companies.
The other issue raised by the representatives of the sector involves the revision of the conditions of access to the profession. The companies wish to tighten the criteria to be able to exercise this activity, by instituting for example requirements in terms of training, diploma, financial and technical capabilities, and other criteria.
Hassan EL ARIF
