The carbon border adjustment mechanism, introduced by the European Union, will be introduced, from October 1, 2023. Thus, non-European countries must all adapt to this new situation and move more towards green energies. Morocco is also concerned and must take up “the challenge”. However, the carbon tax turns out to be rather an opportunity that is offered to the kingdom and which will constitute an undeniable lever for the development of the national industry and the competitiveness of the made in “Morocco”.
The European Union is determined to green its economy and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In this sense, it has introduced the first carbon border tax in the world which will be introduced, from October 1, 2023, as part of a first transitional stage, before coming into full force on January 1, 2026.
Indeed, this system will initially only include an obligation to declare the carbon footprint. It will concern some of the imported products among the “most exposed to a risk of carbon leakage”, such as cement, iron, steel, aluminum, fertilizers, electricity and hydrogen. Thus, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (MACF) aims to set a carbon price for imports of these products within the EU. The objective is to encourage countries that are not members of the European Union to increase their climate ambition and thus fight once morest the harmful effects of climate change.
Morocco, a strategic partner of Europe and a country whose economy is open to the outside, will therefore have to take advantage of this new deal which imposes other requirements and establishes new milestones in the international industrial environment. An environment in which the greening of industry is no longer a choice, but an imperative or even an emergency.
In this sense, the carbon tax will have to constitute, for the kingdom, an opportunity to be seized, much more than a challenge.
Indeed, thanks to the far-sighted vision of King Mohammed VI and his proactive policy, Morocco has long been on a trajectory that advocates transition to renewable energies and work for the establishment of a sustainable and clean Moroccan economic model.
Thus, the carbon border adjustment mechanism, commonly called “carbon tax”, is proving to be a real opportunity that offers the kingdom so many chances to strengthen the competitiveness of “Made in Morocco”. But also and especially for further anchor its positioning in global value chains.
This is also what Saïd Mouline, director general of the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE), said during the ftour-debate, organized by “Finances News”, on April 6 under the theme “Carbon tax: constraint or opportunity for Morocco”.
“Decarbonizing consists of reducing the consumption of energy from polluting sources, using renewable energies, reducing water waste, reducing the raw materials used… and, finally, offsetting the carbon when there are still emissions. And in this area, we have textbook cases in our country”, And to continue “today, all the major energy consumers, such as players in the cement, steel, mining or ONCF, all use renewable energy. We are in an economic model. That’s why this is an opportunity. »
The carbon tax represents an undeniable locomotive that will give new impetus to national industry and will strongly contribute to the emergence of a green and carbon-free industry, thus making the kingdom a leader in terms of carbon-neutral industrial production, something that will enable it to compete internationally, particularly in Europe where the « pass vert » is increasingly required for non-European products. Here then is what is likely to ensure Morocco’s economic growth, as indicated by Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade, during his speech during the ftour-debate.
“Today we have a responsibility that we are working on convenience by convenience to ensure that our country, thanks to this opportunity, can change levels and get out of the trap of developing countries”.
