The Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission has approved a single indicative excise tax rate for filtered cigarettes for 2029 for the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union in the amount of 45 euros per thousand pieces, the press service of the EEC reported.
"It is envisaged that over a five-year period, the level of the single indicative rate will reach the approved value in the territories of all the countries of the Eurasian Five," Minister of Economy and Financial Policy of the EEC Bakhyt Sultanov commented on the decision of the council.
He added that the harmonization of rates is carried out in accordance with the agreement on the principles of conducting tax policy in the field of excise taxes on tobacco products of the EAEU states.
The EEC recalled that for 2024, the indicative excise tax rate for cigarettes with a filter is set at 35 euros per 1 thousand pieces with an acceptable range of deviation from the actual excise tax rates by no more than 20%. A similar deviation range is set for 2029.
"This indicator acts as a guideline for government agencies planning excise tax rates on cigarettes with a filter, as well as for tobacco manufacturers," Sultanov said.
In January 2024, the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade pointed out the need for further convergence of excise tax rates on cigarettes in the EAEU countries from the current maximum difference of 20%. "Naturally, you can't do everything at once, because the difference (in excise tax rates) is too big. In some countries, the difference with Russia reached two or more times some time ago," Vladislav Zaslavsky, director of the Department of digital labeling of goods and legalization of product turnover at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, noted at the beginning of the year.
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