Beer and spirit producers demand seven-year tax protection from EU

Poland’s producers of beer and spirits have demanded a seven-year protection period for their products after Poland’s entry to the European Union (EU). Despite opposition from Brussels, the brewers and distillers want the EU to maintain tariffs on imports of alcohol into Poland. According to Andrzej Olkowski, president of the Polish Small and Medium-sized Breweries Association, the seven-year protection period is vital to reduce losses from increased excise and VAT duties on Polish products. Jozef Kapela, president of the Domestic Council of Spirit Manufacturers, says that if negotiators fail in Brussels and the customs tariffs on alcohol imports have to be lowered, then the industry’s profitability would be affected. At the moment alcohols imported into Poland from the EU are subject to preferential rates of €0.05 to €0.06 per liter. (Puls Biznesu, p. 6) M.T.K.