Regulatory Alerts2020-07-28
Circular to Banks No. 2020-17 of July 28, 2020
The Central Bank of Tunisia issued Circular No. 2020-17 to establish the procedures and conditions for unlocking state-covered interest rate bonuses up to two percentage points on new management and operating credits granted between March 2020 and March 2021 to tourism and artisan sector enterprises affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The circular mandates banks to submit detailed eligibility documentation and monthly claims via the Data Exchange System, ensuring that bank profit margins do not exceed two percent and that disbursements are strictly tied to client installment repayments. It further defines the conditions for maintaining or canceling the benefit, requires monthly reporting to the Information Central, and obligates statutory auditors to submit annual compliance reports to the Ministry of Finance and the central bank within three months of year-end.