EU consults public on tax rules for alcoholic beverages

The European Union (EU) on Friday launched a three-month public consultation to assess whether some tax rules on beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages should be changed to fight tax fraud and reduce counterfeit alcohol sale.

The European Commission, or the executive body of the EU, said in a press release that it also wants to look into whether small and home producers of alcohol could benefit from simpler rules and lower excise duties.

The Commission on Friday invited consumer groups, alcohol producers, retailers and other interested parties to give views on extensive issues including possible benefits of establishing exemptions and common reduced rates, particularly for small producers of alcoholic beverages and home-brewers.

The consultation also aims to find out whether EU consumers are properly informed about what they are drinking: for instance, whether discount alcohol is more likely to be counterfeit, and as importantly whether it contains harmful chemicals.

Pierre Moscovici, commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs said "Current rules on the classification and excise structure of alcoholic beverages can be open to interpretation, so that some producers can exploit tax loopholes by producing and selling counterfeit alcohol."

"By taking part in this public consultation, interested parties and consumers can have a real impact on reducing fraud in this area. We also want to look at ways to lighten the burden for our smaller producers," he added.

The whole consultation, set to end on Nov. 27, will determine possible future changes to the current Alcohol Excise Structures Directive, which is over two decades old. It also seeks to establish a level playing-field among producers of alcohol by ensuring that EU-wide rules are applied correctly and effectively. Endit