71122E – FISCAL STAMPS INTRODUCED ON BEER
Maputo, 2 Nov (AIM) – As from Tuesday, all alcoholic drinks sold in Mozambique, including bottles and cans of beer, should bear fiscal stamps.
The imposition of the stamps on beer has been extremely controversial, which is perhaps why the measure is only being introduced gradually. As from May 2023, no alcoholic drinks without the stamp will be allowed to circulate in the country.
This is the third phase of the obligatory use of fiscal stamps by the Mozambique Tax Authority (AT) in order to increase revenue from alcoholic drinks and tobacco products. Initially, the use of the stamps was restricted to processed tobacco and to wines and spirits.
Breweries strongly opposed the imposition of fiscal stamps on their products, pointing out that beer only accounts for a tiny percentage of contraband alcohol, and the AT’s measure would merely add to their costs.
The coordinator of the AT fiscal stamp project, Miguel Nhane, on Monday visited the country’s two largest breweries, owned by Cervejas de Mocambique (CDM) and the Dutch company Heineken, both in Marracuene district, on the outskirts of Maputo. He claimed that the fiscal stamps will benefit both the AT and the breweries themselves.
He stressed that although the imposition of the stamps begins on Tuesday, the companies have a period of grace of 180 days to sell off existing stocks that are unstamped.
“Today we are closing a cycle we began in 2017, when we sealed tobacco products, and as from July that year began sealing wines and spirits. We envisaged starting the sealing of beers in November 2017, but for various reasons we were obliged to delay it”, said Nhane.
“Today we are witnessing that the conditions have been created, and so we are here sealing the beers”, he declared.
In the first two phases of the fiscal stamp programme, Nhane claimed, there was an average annual increase in revenue collection of 25 per cent. He expected similar gains from the third phase.
The breweries appear to have abandoned their public opposition to the fiscal stamps. At Tuesday’s ceremony, CDM managing director Hugo Gomes congratulated all those involved in the programme, which he claimed would reduce contraband, and benefit the companies.
“Since sealing is compulsory, we just have to comply strictly with what is in the law”, he said. “We expect that this will be a positive process for all the operators, in which the government collects more revenue, and with the reduction in illicit trade, our sales will increase”.
The Heineken-Mocambique production manager, Avelino Gune, said he hoped that all brewery operators will comply with the fiscal stamps so that the contraband in alcoholic drinks can be controlled.
(AIM)
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(AIM / AIMENG)
