The National Chamber of Photovoltaic Energy and the Professional Association for Renewable Energies have jointly called on the Tunisian Parliament to intervene and completely remove fees and customs duties on basic equipment and materials for renewable energies. This appeal was made in an open letter addressed to the Parliament's Speaker and members on October 8, 2026. The groups specifically mentioned photovoltaic panels, solar collectors, batteries, energy storage systems, and other essential components linked to solar energy systems.
The request comes as the Parliament prepares to examine the 2027 Finance Bill, which the government must submit before October 15, 2026, in accordance with constitutional deadlines. The industry groups also requested a reduction in value-added tax to 7% on these equipment and materials. They argued that making solar energy and storage more accessible to households and businesses would reduce the final cost of investing in the energy transition.
According to the groups, the energy transition is no longer an option but an economic, strategic, and security necessity for Tunisia. The country needs to accelerate the development of renewable energies, particularly solar energy, and increase the capacity of households and businesses to produce and consume electricity locally. This would help reduce dependence on traditional energy sources and enhance national energy decision-making sovereignty.
The groups believe that the tax and customs policy should be an instrument to accelerate the energy transition, rather than an obstacle. They argued that the current policy hinders the development of renewable energies and increases the burden on citizens who want to invest in solar energy to reduce their electricity bills and secure part of their energy needs.
Reducing the cost of equipment would enable more citizens and businesses to access solar energy, making investment in renewable energies a more viable and effective solution on a larger scale. The groups also believe that these measures would help expand the base of beneficiaries of solar energy, encourage investment, create jobs, and develop industries and services related to renewable energies.
The industry groups emphasized that Tunisia has all the necessary assets to become a regional model in solar energy. However, achieving this goal requires a coherent legislative and tax vision aligned with national energy transition objectives. They stressed that accelerating investment in renewable energies is part of Tunisia's national, economic, and social security.
The groups recommended that the Parliament support a legislative and tax framework that prioritizes the energy transition and removes obstacles to the spread of solar energy and electricity storage. They also called for an urgent institutional dialogue between the Parliament, government, professionals, and relevant energy stakeholders to develop a comprehensive package of legislative and tax measures that would enable Tunisia to accelerate its transition to a more secure, sustainable, and competitive energy system.
Key points
- Tunisian industry groups urge parliament to remove fees on renewable energy equipment
- A reduction in value-added tax to 7% on renewable energy equipment is also requested
- The energy transition is considered a necessity for Tunisia's economic, strategic, and security interests
