The proposed amendments include an EGP 100 departure fee on all persons leaving the country.

However, the departure fee for foreigners who entered Egypt as tourists in five governorates - Red Sea, South Sinai, Luxor, Aswan and Marsa Matrouh - will be EGP 50.

Egyptian and foreign truck and passenger drivers who cross borders regularly will be exempted from these departure fees.

The proposed amendments also include an additional three percent tax on all goods purchased at Duty Free.

This includes a new tax on any one litre of alcohol at a minimum of $1.5 tax, and a 10 percent tax on every additional litre of alcohol at a minimum $12 dollars.

Members of foreign diplomatic and consular corps will be exempted from the above fees.

The amendments include a two percent tax on all kinds of durable goods.

There will also be a new 10 percent tax on a number of imported goods including salmon fish, shrimp, crabs, blue cheeses, anchovies, caviar, fresh and dried fruits, chocolate, roasted coffee beans, electric mixers, shaving equipment, hair dryers, tea and bread equipment for household uses, earphones, headphones, hand and pocket watches, scooters, and cigarette lighters.

 There will be also a new five percent tax on all kinds of locally produced and imported soft drinks at a minimum of EGP 0.25.

The Ministry of Finance will release a list of the names of soft drinks to be subject to this new tax.

The budget committee also proposed amendments to the Stamp Law 111/1980, imposing an additional 1 percent stamp tax on insurance instalments and payments.

All proposed amendments to the above laws could be up for discussion and a final vote when parliament meets on Sunday 28 May.