Egypt will roll out a second package of tax facilitation measures by the end of October and open it for public consultation in November, Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk said on Monday. Kouchouk made the remarks during an open dialogue with exporters, held jointly with Investment and Foreign Trade Minister Hassan El-Khatib at a conference organised by the Engineering Export Council of Egypt on the future of the country's industrial and export sectors. The move is part of ongoing efforts to improve the investment climate, strengthen trust between taxpayers and the government, and support the private sector's role in driving economic growth, Kouchouk said. He added that the new package will focus on current taxpayers through a range of incentive measures designed to enhance tax certainty and reduce compliance burdens. The minister also announced plans to launch a centralised electronic platform to offset dues and debts between investors and government entities, aimed at improving liquidity. Egypt is also revamping its VAT refund system to accelerate reimbursements, having paid out around 7 billion Egyptian pounds this year—triple the annual average in previous years. Kouchouk said the government will leverage digital integration between the tax and customs systems to provide new incentives for investors and will issue a simplified guide to help exporters navigate tax procedures for service exports. He added that the ministry will continue supporting small and new exporters to enhance their competitiveness and profitability, noting that tax revenues grew 35 per cent without additional burdens under the first phase of the tax facilitation plan. "The reforms aim to build trust, ease procedures, and create a more predictable tax environment that supports growth," Kouchouk said. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
