New Regulation Delay for Morocco Customs Brokers via Finance Bill

Customs brokers in Morocco face a regulatory delay after lawmakers removed a mandatory specification book from the 2027 finance bill during a November 11 session of the House of Representatives Finance Committee.

L’Economiste reported that the amendment deleted the requirement at the last moment. The parliamentary group behind the change argued that professional conditions for customs brokers cannot be governed by an administrative decision and require a formal legislative text.

The government must now draft a separate, detailed bill to regulate the profession’s 498 active practitioners. This approach follows the withdrawal of the earlier 19-18 bill, which faced heavy industry lobbying over provisions like a 400,000-dirham guarantee.

Ruling majority parties noted during committee discussions that customs brokers carry legal obligations and responsibilities affecting trade flows, customs authorities, exporters, and importers. Integrating specifications into Article 68 of the Customs Code was initially planned as a first step.

Minister of Finance Fouzi Lekjaâ announced that the government will return with a new legislative project. Once adopted, the specification book will require new brokers to attach it to their accreditation requests while granting existing practitioners a one-year compliance period.

Similar specifications already govern temporary storage areas known as MEAD, where imported and exported goods sit under customs supervision before clearance. Nour Eddine Lahmamssi, president of the Association of Authorized Customs Brokers of Morocco, said that the finance bill provisions aimed to formalize existing good practices.

“We have already held a meeting to this effect with the Administration of Customs,” Lahmamssi told L’Economiste, adding that the measure does not alter the Customs Code.

The future framework includes rules such as mandatory signage on office premises, carrying a fine of up to 30,000 dirhams for non-compliance. It also regulates customs access badges, requiring companies to return badges for departing staff and deactivate their information system keys.

The professional association participated in discussions regarding the draft specifications and continues to support the administration’s approach for future modifications.