House of Representatives Adopts Government Organic Bill 57.20 on Appointment to Senior Positions and Government Bill 69.20 on Payable Penalties to Restore the Ability to Issue Cheques
The House of Representatives adopted on Monday, January 4th, 2021, by a majority of votes Government Organic Bill 57.20 amending and supplementing Organic Law 02.12 on appointment to senior positions following the provisions of Articles 49 and 92 of the Constitution, and by unanimity Government Bill 69.20 ratifying Decree-law 2.20.690 of September 30th, 2020 (Safar 12th, 1442) enacting special measures related to the payable penalties to restore the ability to issue cheques. The adoption took place during a legislative plenary sitting chaired by the Speaker of House of Representatives Habib El Malki, with the participation of Minister of Economy, Finance, and Administration Reform Mohamed Benchaâboun.
In his address on this occasion, the Minister noted that the Government Organic Bill 57.20 aims to amend and supplement the two lists of public institutions and enterprises set out in Addenda 1 and 2 of the Organic Law 02.12. The amendment and supplementation will be through adding the "National Register Agency," established under Law 72.18 on the system of targeting the beneficiaries of social support programs and stipulating the establishment of the National Register Agency, to the list of strategic public institutions whose officials are appointed upon deliberation of the Council of Ministers. The Bill also adds the "National Company for Guarantee and Enterprise Funding," established under Law 36.20 on transforming the Central Guarantee Fund (CCG) to a joint-stock company, to the list of strategic public enterprises whose officials are appointed upon deliberation of the Council of Ministers.
The approval by the House of Representatives of Government Bill 69.20 ratifying Decree-law 2.20.690 of September 30th, 2020 (Safar 12th, 1442) enacting special measures related to the payable penalties to restore the ability to issue cheques, comes following the promulgation of the Decree-law by the Government during the inter-session and the imperative of its presentation before the Parliament in its next regular session in accordance with Article 81 of the Constitution.
The Bill aims at reducing the payable penalty amount imposed on accounts holders to restore their ability to issue cheques to 0.5% of the sum of the cheque subject of the first injunction. As for the cheque subject of the second injunction, the payable penalty amount has been reduced to 1% of its sum. The payable penalty amount for the cheque(s) subject of the third and further injunctions has been set at 1.5% of their sum. These provisions will remain in force until March 31st, 2021, and their enforcement may be extended during the state of public health emergency by virtue of a decree.