OREANDA-NEWS. On 09 July 2009 was announced, that raised excise tax rates on alcoholic beverages and tobacco goods 15% in the period July 1 through December 31, under ordinance #332 of the head of state, the press service of the president reported.

The increase will help the state address the effects of the global crisis and accumulate additional funds, the press service said, adding that the rise in excise tax rates will result in an additional 85 billion rubles’ worth of budget revenues.

The ordinance abolishes the excise tax on imported cognac in non-consumer containers with capacities exceeding 2 liters in order to facilitate excise payment by cognac-producing entities and exclusive importers of cognac [after they bottle cognac in consumer containers]. “Cognac” is a type of brandy in the former Soviet Union.

The ordinance introduces new excisable commodities, namely, “Other fuels used as automobile fuel: hydrocarbon liquefied gas” and “Other fuels used as automobile fuel: natural compressed gas”. The excise duty will be paid by corporate entities and individual entrepreneurs that sell gas for filling vehicles at filling stations.

Excise taxes will not be imposed on imports of these types of fuel gas.

Hydrocarbon liquefied gas and natural compressed gas are subject to an excise duty of 208,400 Belarusian rubles (Br) per tonne or 1,000 cubic meters. The share of excises in the retail price is projected at 17%, almost twice as low as the share of excises in other fuels, standing between 24% and 34%.

The excise tax on compressed and liquefied gas will attract an additional 13 billion rubles in the Belarusian economy.