The head of the Egyptian Customs Authority, Ahmed Amouy, said on Saturday that the government’s decision to cancel the customs duty exemption for mobile phones purchased by Egyptians expats is final, with no plans to reconsider it.
During a phone interview with the “al-Soura” (The Picture) program, Amouy explained: “If I’m an Egyptian living abroad and I’m coming back for a vacation, my phone will work in Egypt for 90 days without any problems using an Egyptian SIM card, until I travel again. This applies to a phone entering Egypt for the first time.”
“The exceptional exemption that began in January 2025 was part of the system implemented by the state to regulate the entry of mobile phones into Egypt, ” he said.
“The term ‘exception’ implies that it was temporary. Once the readiness and sufficiency of local production across all categories, from the most affordable to the most expensive, were confirmed, the decision was made to abolish the exception.”
He noted that” This system is designed to protect domestic industry. The concept of customs in Egypt, and indeed worldwide, is to regulate domestic markets and safeguard national industries. This system is implemented globally, including in the European Union and the US.”
