New samples of stamp taxes for bottled alcoholic beverages enter into force as from 1 April 2022

The Minister of Finance has signed an order amending the deadline of entering into force of the new samples of tax stamps for bottled alcoholic beverages from 1 January 2022 to 1 April 2022. The reason for this change is a request for extending the deadline and talks with industry organisations, the members of which are the biggest importers, producers and traders in alcoholic beverages in the country. The businesses shared with the minister of finance their arguments against the deadline of 1 January 2022 by emphasizing the hardships and obstacles for the business processes related to the planning and selling of excise duty goods when introducing a new sample of stamp taxes within this deadline.

The Ministry of Finance took the decision after analysing a number of factors related to the COVID-19 epidemic situation in the country which have lead to the lack of predictability for alcohol producers and traders and the difficulties they have with the planning and selling of excise duty goods. The measure taken will support immensely the activity of businesses by enabling the sale of the released alcoholic beverages with the old stamp taxes. Since the alcoholic beverages sold on the market are goods with a paid excise duty, extending the deadline for entering into force of the new sample will not influence directly the excise duty revenues of the state budget. 

The deadline of 1 January 2022 for entering into force of the new samples of stamp taxes for tobacco products is preserved.