Romania Introduces an Additional Fee on Soft Drinks to Reduce Obesity

The Romanian Ministry of Finance has today published a draft decree providing for an increase in excise duty on cigarettes, the introduction of a tax on non-alcoholic beverages containing sugar and other fiscal measures, according to BTA.

The published text states that the excise duty on cigarettes will be increased to avoid initiating criminal proceedings against Romania for not implementing the EU directive of 2011. The project provides for an increase of excise duty of 483.74 lei from 1 September 2019. / 1000 cigarettes per 503.97 lei / 1000 cigarettes.

The sugar tax on soft drinks is being introduced, as 52 percent of the adult population is overweight in the European Union and 17 percent are obese, the document said.

"The obesity epidemic is a huge burden on the health system, and obesity is currently one of the major contributors to global mortality," the text noted.

According to DJ2 television, the idea, which was submitted for public comment, could be adopted by the government later this week.