Alcohol : the government is considering increasing taxes

Abdulsatarid/epictura

Published the 13.10.2017 at 14: 00

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Bail out the coffers of the State with alcoholic beverage ? The government thinks of it. According to the newspaper Les Echos, the authorities are planning to increase by 10 % the tax on strong alcohol – more than 15 degrees. This would generate 150 million euros, while pursuing a public health objective.

This tax does not apply to the wines or the beers, but the pineaux and the muscats would meet the conditions. Currently, alcoholic beverages are subject to a specific tax system. A portion of the proceeds that it leads to finance social Security.

Tax soda

In 2016, already, the Court of auditors advocated to increase the tax on alcoholic beverages, while 50 000 deaths are attributed to alcohol each year in France. The tax increase, if adopted, could be included in the plan of prevention of the alcoholism that must present the minister of Health, Agnes Buzyn.

But another track is also on the table, emanating this time from the parliamentarians of the Republic in The market (LREM). Members would like so to amend the budget 2018 social Security, presented this Wednesday in the Council of ministers, to integrate a tax that would, this time, the sodas.

“Taxing the poor” ?

Increase the “tax soda” would fight against obesity, according to these mps, led by Olivier Véran, rapporteur-general of the bill. Under the previous legislature, this hospital doctor, already an mp, had lobbied for the prohibition of fountains to soda in the community, recalls The Echos.

But on Wednesday, when the hearing of Agnès Buzyn in the Committee on social affairs, the minister of Health has expressed doubts about the appropriateness of increasing the tax soda. “We’re going to impose a tax on the poor “, she warned, referring to other methods of prevention, such as ” health education or education for parenthood “.