In Moldova, from January 1, 2023, the amount of excises on cigarettes and other tobacco products will increase.
The draft fiscal policy for 2023 provides for an increase in excise duty rates for tobacco products by 25% compared to those set for 2022 and by almost 9% compared to the previously planned increase for next year. This measure will provide the budget with an additional 618 million lei. According to the draft, in 2023 the amount of excise taxes on cigars, cigars with cut ends and cigarillos containing tobacco, as well as on other cigars, cigarillos and cigarettes containing tobacco substitutes, will be 41% of their value in lei, but not less than 1198, 75 lei for 1000 pieces. According to the previously approved increase plan, in 2023 the excise duty was to be 41%, but not less than 1103 lei per 1000 pieces. At present, the excise tax on these products is 959 lei/1 thousand units. Herewith, the excise tax on cigarettes containing tobacco, cigarettes with and without a filter, as well as with a mouthpiece will increase: from the current rate of 715 lei + 13%, but not less than 959 lei, the excise tax will increase to 893.75 lei +13%, but not less than 1198.75 lei. The excise rate for tobacco sticks for tobacco heating devices will increase from the planned 1,103 to 1,198.75 lei per 1,000 pieces (today the excise duty is 959 lei per 1,000 pieces). Excise tax on cartridges and sticks for electronic cigarettes; preparations for use in cartridges and sticks for electronic cigarettes are proposed to be set at the level of 2446.25 lei per liter, although according to the plan it was planned to increase the excise tax on these products from 1957 to 2055 lei per liter. The plan to increase excise taxes on smoking tobacco, other manufactured tobacco and industrial tobacco substitutes remains unchanged; tobacco "homogenized" or "reconstituted"; tobacco extracts and essences - from 165.7 to 174 lei per kilogram, as well as plans to increase the excise tax on finely cut tobacco for rolling cigarettes - from 1323 to 1389 lei per kilogram. As noted in the explanatory note of the Ministry of Finance, these measures are necessary to fulfill Moldova's obligation to increase the minimum level of excises on tobacco products to the European level (90 euros in 2025). They will provide the budget with additional fees, will encourage citizens to give up the consumption of tobacco and similar products. It is worth noting that earlier the business community, represented by the American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova, repeatedly asked the government to abandon the idea of such a significant increase in excises.// 14.11.2022 — InfoMarket
