Tax on cigarettes, fuel, beer and wine all to increase in January

According to a draft ordinance prepared by the Finance Ministry, next year will see a 12% increase in excise tax on cigarettes. The document has been sent out and is currently being discussed among government officials and companies from the sector. The tax, which is to be increased on January 16, will amount to zł. 64 per 1,000 cigarettes. Tax on fuel will also to be raised from the current zł. 1,498 to zł. 1,514 per 1,000 liters. The ordinance further envisages an increase on excise for beer, from zł. 6.86 to zł. 6.94 per hectoliter. Tax on wine will likewise go up from the current zł. 136 per hectoliter to zł. 138. The Finance Ministry plans to introduce higher taxes on spirit products, which would stand at zł. 4,450 per hectoliter. These increases will mean the state budget will receive zł. 579.8 million more revenues in 2004. Income from excise tax for 2004 are estimated at zł. 34.6 billion as compared to zł. 34 billion this year. (Parkiet, p. 8) A.K.