Accounting Rules

Tax Year: From 1 January to 31 December.
Accounting Standards: Access the Official Tunisian Accounting Plan (in French)
Accounting Regulation Bodies: The Tunisian Accounting Standards Board
CSOEC
National organisation of Auditors
Accounting Reports: Annual accounts: the balance sheet, the profit and loss account and the notes to the accounts.
The annual report
The statement of source and application of funds (compulsory for large companies).
Publication Requirements: The Financial Market Council is responsible for monitoring the observance of reporting obligations for companies which make a public appeal for savings, which includes all companies listed on the Stock Exchange, all insurance companies, all banks, companies with more than 100 shareholders, etc. Its role is also to confirm that the information provided or reported conforms to legal and statutory requirements. The field it monitors is probably too large in relation to the resources the Council has at its disposal. Accounts have to be certified annually. For additional information.
Professional Accountancy Bodies: The Order of Chartered Accountants in Tunisia
The Company of Accountants in Tunisia
Certification and Auditing: Companies have to seek a statutory auditor to conduct an annual audit of the financial health of their organization. You can contact Ernst & Young and L'Ordre des Experts Comptables de Tunisie.
Accounting News: Tunisian news from the EIN website

Tax Rates

Consumption Taxes

Nature of the Tax: Value added tax (TVA)
Tax Rate: 18%
Reduced Tax Rate: Reduced rate of 10% applicable to companies whose activity is agricultural or in crafts, buying groups, service cooperatives set up between producers, consumer cooperatives and the acquisition of vehicles for the renewal of the fleet cars like taxi or rental.
Reduced rate of 6% for operations on goods and services. Consult the list of operations concerning goods and services subject to VAT at 6% ;
Reduced rate of 12% for operations on goods, activities and services. Consult the list of operations concerning products, activities and services subject to VAT at 12%.
According to the article 12 of decree No. 2009-3836 of december 30, 2009, the VAT payable on vegetable oils and refined raw food intended to be packaged for retail sale and imported by persons authorized by the relevant departments of the Ministry of Commerce and crafts is suspended.
Other Consumption Taxes: Tax on luxury products: 29%

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Corporate Taxes

Company Tax: 0.3
Tax Rate For Foreign Companies: Foreign companies are taxed on the profit they make in Tunisia.
Capital Gains Taxation: Access the Ministry of Finance website on corporate tax.
Main Allowable Deductions and Tax Credit: Expenses are deductible for depreciation or amortization, reserves, rents for premises and equipment, wages, etc. There are tax credits for apprenticeships especially.
Other Corporate Taxes: Payroll tax: a 1% of employees gross salary (in the manufacturing sector) professionnal training tax is levied.(2% in other sectors).

Individual Taxes

Tax Rate

Income tax (IR)	Progressive rate from 0 to 35%
TND 0 - 1,500	0%
TND 1,501 - 5,000	15%
TND 5,001 - 10,000	20%
TND 10,001 - 20,000	25%
TND 20,001 - 50,000	30%
Over TND 50,000	35%

Allowable Deductions and Tax Credit: Exemptions for:
- capital gains on transfers of company shares which are not part of professional assets;
- dividends and assimilated revenue;
- remuneration paid to foreign diplomatic and consular agents if there is a reciprocal agreement;
- interest on deposits or stocks in foreign currency or convertible dinars;
- interest on house purchase savings accounts;
- interest on special savings accounts or debentures, within a certain limit;
- interest on savings accounts for studies;
- capital gains from employees taking up an option to subscribe for capital in IT services, IT engineering and related services companies.
Special Expatriate Tax Regime: There are no specific tax rates for expatriates.

Double Taxation Treaties

Countries With Whom a Double Taxation Treaty Have Been Signed: List of double taxation treaties signed by Tunisia
Withholding Taxes: Dividends: 0, Interest: 20%, Royalties: 15%

Sources of Fiscal Information

Tax Authorities: The Tax Office website
Other Domestic Resources: Fiscal documentation
Official Journal of the Tunisian Republic

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Intellectual Property

National Organizations: The National Institute for Standardization and Industrial Property (INNORPI)
Regional Organizations: The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
International Membership: Member of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Signatory to the Paris Convention For the Protection of Intellectual Property

National Regulation and International Agreements

Type of property and law	Validity	International Agreements Signed
Patent Law n° 2000-84 of 24 August 2000	5, 10, 15 or 50 years on request	Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Trademark Law of 23 July 2007	20 years, renewable	Trademark Law Treaty
Design Law n° 12 of 9 February 2001	15 years
Copyright Code of intellectual property	70 years after the death of its author for inheritance tax, 50 years after the first publication for registration fees	Berne convention For the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms Rome ConventionFor the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations WIPO Copyright Treaty WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty
Industrial Models Law N °2001-21 of 6 February 2001 on the protection of designs and industrial models	20 years

Legal Framework

Independence of Justice: Yes
Equal Treatment of Nationals and Foreigners: Yes
The Language of Justice: Arabic
Recourse to an Interpreter: Possible
Sources of the Law and Legal Similarities: Tunisian law has various sources: the Constitution, laws voted by Parliament, ministerial decrees and orders, international conventions and treaties ratified by Tunisia.It is largely inspired by French law but also Islamic law.
Checking National Laws Online: The Ministry of Justice
Jurisite Tunisie

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Standards

National Standards Organizations: National Institute of Standardization and Industrial Property
Integration in the International Standards Network: International Standards organization (ISO)
Classification of Standards: NT
ISO 9001
Online Consultation of Standards: The ISO catalog
The NT catalog
Certification Organizations: National Institute of Standardization and Industrial Property

Business Practices

General Information: Doing business In Tunisia
Opening Hours and Days: Closed on Saturday and Sunday, or only Sunday for shops. Closed for a lunch break, which may be shorter or longer, between 12.30pm and 2.30pm.
During the month of Ramadan and the two summer months (July, August), administrations and companies close in the afternoon.

Public Holidays

New Year's Day	1 January
Revolution day	18 January
Aid El Fitr, AID EL IDHA, Mouled ,Ras El Am El Herjri	Religious holidays which do not have fixed dates
Independence Day	20 March
Youth Day	21 March
Martyrs' Day	9 April
Labor Day	1 May
Republic Day	July
Women's Day	13 August
Commemoration Day	7 November
Islamic New Year	December
Ramadan	Change every year

Periods When Companies Usually Close

End of year holidays	New Year's Day
Summer holidays	July or August according to the company.

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Tunisia: Business Environment