Round table "Introduction of an excise duty on non-alcoholic tonic beverages: planned change to the law"

Client: member companies of the Association of European Business (Coca-Cola Beverages Belarus), Vlanpak, Red Bull, PepsiCo and other non-alcoholic soft drinks producers

Objectives: to present the position of the companies on the initiative of governmental agencies to introduce excise duty on non-alcoholic tonic beverages.

Description: The round table "Introduction of an excise duty on non-alcoholic tonic beverages: planned change to the law" was held on August 27th, 2015 in the conference hall of the hotel "Minsk". During the event, companies’ representatives and health experts discussed the expediency of the tonic beverages market regulation. The event was attended by representatives of Coca-Cola Beverages Belarus, the Union of non-alcoholic drinks and mineral water producers (Russia), Minsk Soft Drink Factory, Republican Research and Practical Center of Mental Health, Republican Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, Epicenter (Russia), law firm Ketenci, Association of European Business, mass media.

Result: it became known on the day after the round table (on August 28th, 2015), that the Ministry of Finance decided not to introduce an excise tax on soft tonic drinks in 2016. As explained by the Ministry representatives to tut.by, the initiative was proposed by the Ministry of Taxes and Duties, and it was included in the draft amendments to the Tax Code. However, after a detailed study of the issue and discussion with stakeholders, it was decided to exclude this provision from the document.