2023-08-02 12:07:03
- On the application of Law No. 050- in question
- the mandatory flat-rate contribution (CFO) levied on the products of the sectors
- The actors demand its operationalization
An interprofession is a professional organization bringing together several economic players involved in a common production and/or marketing sector. In Burkina Faso, there are twelve. They are governed by Law No. 050-2012/AN of October 30, 2012 and its seven implementing decrees. In order to allow them to have financial autonomy for the implementation of their missions, this law stipulates the establishment of the Compulsory fixed contribution (CFO), levied at the level of the actors of the sector. However, according to these same actors, the Ministry of Commerce, which should support them in this task, has undertaken the drafting of a law to introduce taxes/levies on the products of promising sectors instead of the CFO. To denounce this situation, the Consultation Framework of Interprofessional Agro-Sylvo-Pastoral, Fisheries and Fauna Organizations (CCOIP-ASPHF) organized a press conference on July 29, 2023 in Ouagadougou. It calls for the operationalization of the CFO in order to give financial autonomy to the interprofessions to finance the development of the sectors.
What is the problem ?
According to Antoinette Ouédraogo, vice-president of the shea butter table (TFK) interprofession, law no. 050-2012/AN and its implementing decrees give full financial autonomy to interprofessions. This, through the CFO which serves as their source of funding for the implementation of their missions, in accordance with article 10 of the same law. For the mechanism of collection of this contribution, the law says that the public authorities must issue an interministerial decree which specifies the conditions. These are the technical supervisory ministries of the interprofessional organizations (Trade, Environment and Agriculture). It is at this level that the problem arises in particular with the Ministry of Commerce.
According to the executive secretary of TFK, Magloire Hien, the cashew interprofession has submitted its file for support. “The Ministry of Commerce has done something else by deciding that it is the State itself that collects these funds, ensuring its management and withdrawing the missions of the cashew interprofession. Whereas if the law were applied, the ministry would simply have to support the industry itself in collecting the CFO and financing its development activities,” he explained. Same observation on the side of the shea sector which saw its file blocked by the Ministry of Commerce. This, despite the opinion of the State Judicial Agent (AJE) who analyzed the file and concluded by asking the ministry to operationalize the CFO.
On the other hand, the application of this law establishing the CFO was effective at the request of the mango sector, which has the Ministry of Agriculture for technical supervision. “How can the application of a law be different by the ministries of the same government? ask the speakers. For the Coordinator of CCOIP-ASPHF, Paul Ouédraogo, the Ministry of Commerce doubts their competence to manage this fund. “We have an example that we cite, not in terms of jealousy but of feasibility”, he indicated to ask the Ministries of Commerce and the Environment to allow other sectors to manage the CFO in the image of that of the mango.
CFO collection mechanism
For the implementation of the CFO, each interprofession must send a certain number of documents to the authorities. This is a project of actions to be carried out with the fund, an interprofessional contribution agreement and a levy mechanism to be defined with them. Funds collected are deposited in a bank and should only be spent on the basis of submitted and accepted documents. “For the mango, we are currently at 50 million FCFA for 4 to 5 months of collection. It is around 800 million FCFA per year, according to our forecasts. With this, all the forecasts of the sector are settled”, underlined Paul Ouédraogo.
How is the contribution collected?
The speakers took the example of the mango sector. According to the Treasurer of the mango interprofession, Zéini Mohamadou Simporé, the collection is done at the level of all the actors of the chain. These are producers (2 FCFA/kg), processors (3 FCFA/kg) and exporters (3 FCFA/kg) for a total cost of 8 FCFA. This sum is paid by any exporter at the level of the interprofession which issues him a document. The latter must then go to the Plant Protection Department to obtain the exit certificate. The export authorization is obtained only on presentation of these two documents mentioned above. For him, it is from 2024 that the industry will decide on the distribution keys. Each link will be taken into account. These are producers, processors, traders, the inter-professional organization and even the State, which must collect 20%.
It should be noted that this law stipulates the extension of the CFO’s interprofessional agreements to all twelve sectors.
T.A
Framed:
Conclusion of the AJE following analysis of the TFK file
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#Financial #empowerment #sectors #problem #Ministry #Commerce #Interprofessions
