Increases in sight, for the price of cigarettes. In fact, the reorganization of excise duties on tobacco is expected within days, in implementation of the fiscal delegation: a reorganization that could lead to an increase in the price of cigarette packets of up to 20 cents. As announced by the Undersecretary for the Economy Giovanni Legnini, the Government's target "is that of a more equitable and transparent redistribution of the tax burden on both smoking and non-combustion products".
Codacons has said it agrees with the possibility of reorganization, but has asked again, through the mouth of the president Carlo Rienzi, that excise duties on petrol be lowered.
In any case, the text will be submitted to the scrutiny of the Minister of the Economy and then, possibly, to reach the Council of Ministers. The risk is that the increase in excise duties could prove counterproductive, as far as revenues are concerned, given that, for the first time, in 2013 there was a drop of 5%.
The VAT increases have, in fact, unleashed a downward war in tobacconists, causing many consumers to move towards cheaper products. Furthermore, in the reorganization there will also be an intervention on e-cigs, even if milder than that of cigarettes.
