Detailed Monthly Reports On The Localization Of Importers

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion has requested banks to provide detailed monthly reports on import domiciliation operations, with the implementation of a new measure requiring economic operators to prepare an estimated program for the second half of 2025 and domicile it with only one bank.

The estimated program refers to a document prepared by the economic operator that includes all import operations intended to be carried out during a specific period, whether for covering operational or equipment needs, accompanied by their financial value and the types of goods or services to be imported.

This measure aims to enable authorities to accurately track import activity, ensure that programs for the same products are not duplicated or invoices inflated, and provide an updated database that allows for more effective trade and financial policies, while granting large enterprises an exception allowing them to domicile with more than one bank, provided prior notification to the Ministry.

According to a correspondence issued by the Professional Association of Banks and Financial Institutions dated August 11, 2025, reviewed by “Echorouk”, the latter informed the directors of banks and financial institutions of the content of an official correspondence received from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion, under number 734/2025, regarding the projected import program for the second quarter of 2025.

The correspondence, signed by the Acting General Commissioner of the Association of Banks, Mr. Boualem Iberrouchen, states that the projected program required for import operations carried out by economic operators for their own needs, whether related to operational or equipment activities, must be domiciled with only one bank.

The document also clarified that large enterprises can, if necessary, domicile their operations with several banks, provided they notify the services of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion.

The correspondence also emphasized that banks are obligated to declare the domiciled projected programs to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion at the end of each month.

The document confirmed that economic operators remain legally responsible for the accuracy of the projected program and for its domiciliation with a single bank.

The primary objective of this correspondence, according to sources related to the matter, is to enhance transparency and discipline in import operations, and to ensure more accurate tracking of the volume and value of imports carried out by economic operators for their own account, by obliging them to domicile the projected program with a single bank. The authorities seek to reduce the dispersion of financial data among several banking institutions, which allows for better control over financial transfers and prevents any attempts at fraud, invoice inflation, or duplication of projected programs for the same goods or services.

These measures also aim to enable the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion to obtain an accurate and updated monthly database on import movements, which allows for the development of more effective trade and financial policies, the regulation of the trade balance, and the protection of hard currency.

Furthermore, granting large enterprises a conditional exception with notification reflects the authorities’ desire to consider the specificities of this category without compromising the principle of control, which enhances trust between the state and economic operators, and supports the process of regulating foreign trade in the national interest.

Since last June, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and National Market Promotion has taken a series of measures aimed at regulating foreign trade activity, including tightening import conditions, strengthening tracking and control mechanisms for commercial operations, and obliging economic operators to comply with regulatory procedures related to bank domiciliation and invoicing. These steps are part of a broader effort to control import flows, protect national production, and rationalize the use of hard currency in line with the country’s economic policy priorities.