One Year After its Official Launch, the Status of Auto-Entrepreneur Shows Encouraging Results Despite Some Shortcomings
Nearly 5,000 cards serving as proof of patent have been issued to auto-entrepreneurs since November 11, 2024, the official launch date of the program.
The Press — A Year After its Entry into Force, its Balance is Globally Considered Satisfactory
Although it remains below the government's initial forecasts, the balance is considered satisfactory. "This figure is expected to grow. We will see a significant leap with the inclusion of creative and digital professions," said Mohamed Kefi Rahmani, head of the Auto-Entrepreneur project within the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, on the sidelines of a recent information day held at the Utica on the same subject.
Organization and Objectives
Organized in partnership with the National Chamber of Women Business Leaders (Cnfce) and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), this meeting aimed to raise awareness among both individuals concerned by the status and companies that will deal with them. "Some companies, unaware of this new legal framework, do not recognize the holders of auto-entrepreneur cards, who deal with them, for example, through invoices, payments, etc., as patented individuals, which ultimately harms them. This is why this day is also addressed to professionals to raise their awareness on this subject and inform them of the benefits enjoyed by auto-entrepreneurs who have the same rights as patented individuals," Rahmani added.
Achievements and Disparities
If the registration objectives have been achieved for this first year, significant regional disparities have been noted. According to the project leader, 85% of validated membership applications are concentrated in the regions of Greater Tunis, Sfax, Monastir, and Sousse. This imbalance has led the Ministry of Employment to review its communication strategy, now focused more on proximity. Women represent one-third of the memberships, while young people under 35 make up two-thirds.
Sectoral Distribution
According to Rahmani, the service sector, particularly retail trade, accounts for the majority of registrations, followed by craftsmanship (13%).
Strengthened Partnership
For his part, Rached Chelly, a member of the Utica Executive Bureau, affirmed that the employers' union considers the auto-entrepreneur status as an opportunity to energize the local economic fabric. He added that Utica is working, through its federations and professional chambers, to raise awareness among its members about the opportunities offered by this status, to collaborate with the public authorities to improve its legal and fiscal framework, and to develop support, mentorship, and ongoing training programs to strengthen entrepreneurial skills.
Challenges and Opportunities
Highlighting this status as a major breakthrough, Chelly emphasized the persistent challenges that require, in his opinion, strengthened collaboration between the public and private sectors. He cited, in particular, the need to further simplify administrative procedures, strengthen awareness and information in partnership with Utica structures, establish an attractive social protection framework guaranteeing minimum coverage, create bridges between the auto-entrepreneur status and other more structured forms of entrepreneurship, and encourage collaboration between auto-entrepreneurs and established companies through incubation, subcontracting, and mentorship programs.
Encouraging Women's Participation
For Aïda Béji Kallel, a member of the Cnfce Executive Bureau, this information day aimed to encourage women active in the informal sector to register on the dedicated platform to benefit from the advantages offered by the new status. According to her, this status constitutes an incentive framework for all women in the labor market, including young higher education graduates, who can take advantage of it to launch their own projects and plan their growth and development.
Simplified and Advantageous Framework
It is worth recalling that the auto-entrepreneur status covers more than 500 economic activities and targets 260,000 eligible individuals. It offers several benefits in terms of social protection and support, including a health card, accident insurance, membership in a preferred social and tax regime, and exemption from all social charges and taxes during the first year. Thanks to this status, beneficiaries can work from home, benefit from support for the different stages of their activity, and access credit on preferential terms. In return, they must keep simplified accounting by declaring their turnover online each quarter and pay a single contribution covering both social security and tax. To apply for membership, simply register on the website www.autoentrepreneur.tn.
