Companies found to have committed tax fraud in Monaco will face substantially lower financial surcharges under new rules published in the Journal de Monaco, while businesses that miss their tax filing deadlines will face significantly higher fines.
Sovereign Ordinance No. 12.211, signed by Prince Albert II on 23rd October and published on 30th October, reforms the penalty system attached to Monaco’s business profits tax, with the changes applying to financial years beginning on or after 1st January 2026.
The changes reduce the maximum fraud surcharge from four times the unpaid tax to 80% of it, while increasing the standard fine for late declarations from a maximum of €75 to €700.
Monaco’s business profits tax generally applies to companies deriving at least 25% of their turnover from activities outside the Principality, as well as certain other businesses covered by the legislation.
Fraud penalties fall sharply
Under the previous system, companies found to have acted in bad faith or committed fraud could face a penalty equivalent to four times the tax involved.
The revised rules introduce two levels of surcharge: 40% of the tax avoided or put at risk in cases of bad faith, and 80% in cases of fraudulent conduct.
The financial difference is substantial. A company that concealed €100,000 in taxable profits, avoiding €25,000 in tax at Monaco’s standard 25% rate, for example, would previously have faced a €100,000 fraud penalty on top of the unpaid tax. Under the new rules, the fraud surcharge would fall to €20,000, bringing the combined tax and surcharge to €45,000, before interest or any other applicable sanctions.
That represents an €80,000 reduction in the financial penalty for the same amount of unpaid tax.
Late declarations become more expensive
While fraud surcharges are being reduced, the cost of failing to submit a tax declaration on time is increasing. The previous fine, ranging from €15 to €75, is replaced by a fixed penalty of €700.
Businesses that fail to file also face an additional surcharge calculated on the tax due. This is set at 10% when a declaration is submitted before formal notice or within 30 days of receiving one, rising to 40% if the deadline is missed.
For a company owing €40,000 in business profits tax, for example, submitting its declaration within 30 days of formal notice would result in a €4,000 surcharge, in addition to the €700 fine.
Failing to meet that deadline would increase the surcharge to €16,000.
The ordinance also strengthens the authorities’ ability to request information from businesses that may be liable for the tax. Failure to respond to a qualifying request within 30 days can trigger the €700 fine and, where tax is due, have consequences for the formal notice procedure.
Lower interest charges for late payments
Businesses that pay their tax bills late will benefit from a significant reduction in the charges applied to outstanding amounts. The previous system imposed a 3% charge for the first month of delay, followed by an additional 1% for each subsequent month.
This is replaced by late-payment interest of 0.2% per month. For example, a company with an outstanding tax bill of €25,000 would incur €300 in interest over six months under the new monthly rate, excluding any other applicable penalties.
The reform also gives companies more time to respond when the tax authorities propose an adjustment to their declarations. The response period increases from 20 to 30 days.
Taken together, the changes mark a substantial restructuring of Monaco’s business tax enforcement system: lower financial surcharges for fraudulent declarations and overdue payments, but tougher penalties for businesses that fail to submit the information required by the tax authorities.
Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
Navigating Monaco’s autumn roadworks: Essential route and parking guides
Monaco’s Department of Urban Amenities (DAU) will launch a major road resurfacing campaign from 4th November to 4th December to improve carriageway quality and boost safety across the Principality.
To minimise daytime disruption, work will take place predominantly overnight in two phases: 4th to 7th November and 23rd November to 4th December. Motorists, bus passengers, and residents should expect temporary lane closures, diversions, and restricted car park access. Pedestrian routes and emergency access will be maintained at all times, while CAM and ZOU! bus lines will run on diverted routes, primarily after 8pm.
Phase 1: La Condamine & Le Rocher (4th–7th November)
Overnight work (6pm to 6am) will affect Place d’Armes, Rue Grimaldi, and Avenue Prince Pierre, with traffic restrictions starting at 8pm and the Place d’Armes roundabout closing entirely. Access to Rue Castelleretto and Le Rocher (via Serravalle Tunnel and Avenue du Port) will be manually managed, while exiting Le Rocher is strictly via Avenue du Port. La Colle car park entry is restricted to Boulevard Charles-III. Tunnels for the Dorsale, Rainier III, and Albert II remain open.
Phase 2: Major arteries (23rd November – 4th December)
Work resumes on Boulevard du Larvotto on the night of 23rd to 24th November (8pm to 1am) under manual traffic control from the Avenue de Grande-Bretagne roundabout, with Sources car park remaining open.
The result came despite the early departure of Julie Tetart, who was forced off the court with an injury in the game’s opening minutes.
MONACO BUILD THEIR ADVANTAGE
MBA led 15-10 after the first quarter before extending their lead in the second. Their ball movement and strength on the boards helped establish a 16-point lead at halftime.
After the break, Monaco continued to extend the gap, outscoring Aulnoye 22-14 in the third quarter to enter the final quarter with a 60-36 lead.
Although Aulnoye responded with 30 points in the last quarter, the cushion Monaco had built allowed them to secure an 80-66 victory.
CONTRIBUTIONS ACROSS THE TEAM
Every player used by coach Emmanuel Body put points on the board, with 34 of the team’s points coming off the bench.
Stepha M’Baye led MBA with 15 points, followed by Carolina Rodrigues with 14. Sarah-Yvanna Keboum added 13 points and six rebounds.
The team overall finished with 22 assists and won the rebounding battle 47-33, further emphasising the collective contributions made.
With six victories and an undefeated start ongoing, Monaco will look to extend this run when they travel to Geispolsheim on Saturday 7th November.
Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo credit: John Rellegue / MBA
Prince Albert II’s African tour brings unforgettable scenes
A stadium filled with 12,000 cheering schoolchildren, a new college bearing his name, and an emotional return to a children’s centre named after his mother, Princess Grace. Prince Albert II’s visits to Madagascar and Cameroon on 29th and 30th October brought him face to face with thousands of young people whose lives have been transformed by decades of Monegasque humanitarian support.
The two-day journey took the Prince from the schools and community projects of Madagascar to the presidential palace and children’s welfare centres of Cameroon, where he was received by President Paul Biya and First Lady Chantal Biya.
While the trip included high-level diplomatic meetings, it was the encounters with children, students and families that provided its most memorable moments.
A welcome from 12,000 schoolchildren in Madagascar
Some 12,000 pupils filled the stadium at Akamasoa, on the outskirts of Antananarivo, on Thursday 29th October to welcome Prince Albert II and Father Pedro Opeka. The Argentine-born missionary’s organisation has spent nearly four decades helping some of Madagascar’s poorest communities.
The children put on a colourful programme of songs, dances and an athletics race, and two pupils addressed the gathering before Father Pedro and the Prince spoke. The occasion marked the inauguration of the Collège Prince Albert II, named in recognition of the Prince’s longstanding support for Akamasoa.
Addressing the children, Prince Albert recalled the words of Victor Hugo: “Every child we teach is a person we gain.”
“Listening to the two pupils who have just spoken with such talent and courage, and seeing you all gathered here, those are the words that come to mind,” he said. “Looking at the children and adolescents you are today, how can we not see the adults you will become? Adults committed to intelligence, responsibility and hope. Free and clear-sighted women and men.”
He praised Father Pedro’s determination to bring education to children who might otherwise have little chance of attending school.
“That is Father Pedro’s wonderful project, the greatness of Akamasoa and the challenge of this college: to open the doors of education to everyone, in order to open the doors to a better life for as many people as possible.”
The Prince then unveiled a commemorative plaque and toured the new college, stepping into a classroom to meet pupils.
The figures he cited show the scale of Akamasoa’s work. More than 5,000 families have been given decent housing, and its schools employ almost 1,000 teachers, around 400 funded by the Malagasy state and 600 by Akamasoa.
“I am proud that your college bears my name,” the Prince told the gathering, before paying tribute to Father Pedro, the teachers and the families of Akamasoa. “Monaco will remain at your side,” he promised, ending his address in Malagasy with “Misaotra betsaka”, meaning thank you very much.
In Antananarivo, he visited the Sandratra project, supported by Monaco’s Department of International Cooperation. The project helps street children with protection, education, vocational training and reintegration, and trains young single mothers so they can find work and become financially independent.
At the Centre Nouveau Relais des Jeunes, children welcomed him with a performance before showing their skills in the centre’s vocational workshops.
At Saint-Vincent-de-Paul University in Manantenasoa, students questioned the Prince on environmental protection, climate change and the work of his Foundation. Asked which challenges should take priority in Madagascar, he pointed to the country’s unique wildlife and ecosystems, threatened by deforestation and increasingly extreme weather.
He highlighted his Foundation’s projects there, including reforestation around Masoala National Park, the protection of 800 hectares of coastal forest on Sainte-Marie Island and new marine protected areas around Nosy Be, all developed with local communities.
The day ended at the SISAL 67HA health centre, supported by the Department of International Cooperation and Fight Aids Monaco.
There, the Prince met medical staff and people living with HIV, including two young people who shared their stories and hopes in what the Palace described as a particularly moving encounter.
After a performance of songs and dances by the children, the Prince toured the centre and learned about its work in education, healthcare, literacy, vocational training, family support and its educational farm. Today it helps more than 500 vulnerable children and young people each year.
The Prince also met President Paul Biya at the Unity Palace. According to the Cameroonian presidency, the two leaders discussed relations between their countries, their cooperation on humanitarian and environmental projects, and ways to strengthen bilateral ties.
“Since then, this centre has borne my mother’s name, Princess Grace. That obviously touches me deeply. But above all, it seems to me to reveal the strength of our ties.”
Monaco’s support in Cameroon extends well beyond the centre. It includes the Christ Roi College in Obout, the Saint-Martin de Porrès Dominican hospital in Mvog Betsi, programmes to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, scholarships, vocational training and medical cooperation.
“That is Monaco’s choice: to build partnerships based on trust and over the long term,” the Prince said. “Monaco will continue to work with you to open up concrete opportunities for Cameroon’s most vulnerable children, young people and families. You can count on us!”
Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok
AS Monaco were thoroughly bested by the burgeoning force of Paris FC at the Stade Jean Bouin on Sunday (3-1) as the Principality club’s winless run in Ligue 1 was extended to four games.
Paris FC are imperious at home. Heading into the game, they hadn’t trailed for a single minute at the Stade Jean Bouin all season. Monaco never looked like threatening that impressive record. All of the chances in the first half belonged to the hosts. Moses Simon almost got on the end of a Samir Chergui flick-on. Any touch would have sufficed to turn it home, you felt.
They did so just before half-time. Les Parisiens were creative and zippy enough to create their own openings, but Monaco were also there to offer a helping hand. A misplaced ball from Lamine Camara on the edge of his own box provided a golden opening, almost squandered by Ilan Kebbal, who slipped when asked to control, but he retrieved the ball, played a swivel pass into Maxime Lopez, who found Sinayoko. As he was for his earlier chance, he was unmarked. This time he finished.
It was the Malian again moments later, this time striding beyond Eric Dier before finishing emphatically into the bottom corner on the half-volley. The response from Monaco? Nothing before half-time, but the introductions of Folarin Balogun and Christian Mawissa did at least stem the flow of Paris FC’s chances, while also allowing them to build through the lines with greater ease.
The USMNT forward had another effort on the swivel, but it was far from a siege on Kevin Trapp’s goal. By dropping Aleksandr Golovin into the No.8 position, and through the introductions of the likes of Takumi Minamino, Balogun, and Mathys Detourbet, LuĂs had thrown everything but the kitchen sink at Paris FC.
Naturally, there were spaces for Les Parisiens to exploit and Sinayoko was always going to be the one to exploit them. Running in behind, he then toyed with Dier, dragging him across goal, before turning, finding Pablo Pagis, who finished first time. The cushion restored, Paris FC were always comfortable here.
When you win your duels, as Samir Chergui, Pagis, Sinayoko, Simon, Lopez, etc. all did, you win games; when you lose them, you lose. This was a day where Paris FC made football look simple and their superiority over Monaco was glaringly evident. You have to strain your eyes to see any positive in Sunday’s performance, which is, nonetheless, in line with the downward trajectory.
That is now four games (two draws, two losses) without a win in Ligue 1. Top of Ligue 1 at the start of that run, Monaco are now sixth and could slip further before the end of the gameweek. It was hoped that the Conference League win against Freiburg and the manner of it would provide the momentum to get back on track in the league. They return to European competition this week, a welcome solace for Monaco and LuĂs amid their continued domestic struggles.
Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo source: AS MonacoÂ
Vacherot wins three-set battle with Rune to reach Basel semifinals
Valentin Vacherot advanced to the Swiss Indoors Basel semifinals with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Holger Rune on Friday 30th October, coming through another three-set contest in just over two hours.
After overcoming third seed Rafael Jódar in the previous round, Vacherot held off Rune’s challenge to move within one win of the ATP 500 final.
His serve proved to be a critical force in this win. Vacherot struck 20 aces and saved nine of the 10 break points faced, while converting two of his four opportunities on Rune’s serve.
VACHEROT TAKES OPENER
Vacherot’s breakthrough came with Rune serving at 2-3 in the first set. The break gave him the advantage he needed to ultimately take the set 6-3.
Rune responded early in the second set, breaking with a 1-0 lead. He protected that advantage to take the set 6-3, forcing a decisive third set.
CRITICAL SERVE
The third set followed a similar pattern to the first. With Vacherot leading 3-2, he again broke Rune’s serve before closing out the match to secure his place in the semifinals.
The match statistics reflected a close contest. However, Vacherot’s ability to escape pressure on serve helped him come out on top.
Vacherot landed 74% of his first serves and won 76% of the points behind them, giving him a strong foundation for his third win of the week.
TAYLOR FRITZ IN THE SEMIS
Vacherot will now face sixth seed Taylor Fritz on Saturday 31st October. Their previous encounter came in Basel in 2025, when Fritz beat Vacherot in a tight three-set contest.
Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.
Photo source: ATP Tour
All the headlines and highlights from Monaco, direct to you every morning
