Annex B. Regulatory framework

Based on the OECD review, the regulatory framework for the banking sector includes sector-related laws, (presidential, governmental and ministerial) decrees, ministerial orders, circulars, notes, decisions and codes of conduct. The legislation includes two core laws: Law No. 2016-48, which relates to banks and financial institutions, and Law No. 2016-35, which affirms the status of the Banque Centrale de Tunisie.

Law No. 2016-48 establishes the conditions for operating in the banking sector and for supervising banks and financial institutions to ensure a well-functioning market, to protect customers and to achieve financial stability. Law No. 2016-35 sets out the independent role and key objectives of the central bank. For the purposes of this report, key legislation includes the provisions below. Legislation to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, and legislation concerning monetary policy (including currency exchange), Islamic banking, savings, financial investments, interbank transactions, accounting, financial stability, and strictly of a prudential nature is considered outside the scope of this analysis.

Institutional arrangements

  • Décret gouvernemental No. 2017-1259, fixant la composition et les règl’s d’organisation et de fonctionnement ’e l’Observatoire ’e l’Inclusion Financière ainsi que la liste des institutions et administrations concernées par son intervention (Government decree 2017-1259, which sets out the composition and rules for the organisation and operation of the Financial Inclusion Observatory and the list of institutions and administrations concerned by its intervention).

  • Décret No. 2009-88, portant création d’un centre de recherches et d’études financières et monétaires et fixant son organisation et les modalités de son fonctionnement (Decree No. 2009-88, which establishes a centre for financial and monetary research and studies and determines its organisation and operating methods).

  • Décret No. 2006-1881, fixant les conditions d’exercice de l’activité de médiateur bancaire (Decree 2006-1881, setting out the conditions for the activity of a banking mediator).

Access to market

  • Décision de la Commission d’Agrément No. 2017-04, relative aux procedures de dépôt des demandes d’agrément (Decision of the Licensing Commission No. 2017-04, relating to procedures for submitting applications for accreditation).

  • Circulaire No. 86-13, relative à l’activité des banques non-résidentes (Circular No. 86-13, relating to the activities of offshore banks).

  • Circulaire 2006-05, relative à l’ouverture, à la clôture et au transfert des succursales, des agences et des bureaux périodiques par les établissements de crédit agréés (Circular No. 2006-05, relating to the opening, closure and transfer of branches, agencies and periodic offices by approved credit institutions).

Current accounts and other banking services

  • Décret No. 2006-1880, fixant la liste et les conditions des services bancaires de base (Decree No. 2006-1880, setting out the list and conditions of basic banking services).

  • Circulaire aux établissements de crédit No. 2006-12, relative aux attributs de la qualité des services bancaires (Circular to credit institutions No. 2006-12, relating to the quality of banking services).

  • Circulaire de la Banque Centrale de Tunisie No. 2020-05, portant sur les mesures relatives à la tariffication et à la continuité de certains services bancaires (Circular of the BCT No. 2020-05, relating to measures involving the pricing and continuity of certain banking services).

Lending

  • Loi No. No. 2008-56, relative aux taux d’intérêt excessifs (Law No. 2008-56, relating to excessive interest rates).

  • Décret No. 2000-462, fixant les modalités de calcul du taux d’intérêt effectif global et du taux d’intérêt effectif moyen et leur mode de publication (Decree No. 2000-462, setting out the methods for calculating overall effective interest rates and average effective interest rates and their means of publication).

  • Circulaire aux banques et aux établissements financiers No. 2000-03, relative à la fixation des crédits soumis au même taux d’intérêt excessif et des commissions bancaires entrant dans le calcul des taux d’intérêt effectifs globaux et détermination des taux d’intérêt effectifs moyens sur les crédits bancaires (Circular to banks and financial institutions No. 2000-03, relating to the fixing of loans subject to the same excessive interest rate and bank commissions entering into the calculation of overall effective interest rates and determination of interest rates average workforce on bank loans).

  • Circulaire de la banque centrale de la Tunisie No. 2019-09 relative aux procédures de consultation des données enregistrées dans la Centrale d’Informations de la Banque Centrale de Tunisie (Circular of the BCT No. 2019-09, relating to procedures for consulting the data recorded by the Information Centre of the BCT).

Payment services

  • Circulaire de la Banque Centrale de Tunisie No. 2018-16, relative aux règles régissant l’activité et le fonctionnement des établissements de paiement (Circular of the BCT No. 2018-16, relating to the rules governing the activities and operations of payment institutions).

  • Circulaire de la Banque Centrale de Tunisie No. 2020-11, relative aux conditions de fourniture des services de paiement mobile domestique (Circular of the BCT 2020-11, relating to conditions for the provision of domestic mobile payment services).

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