Acquisition of contaminated alcohol from another EU country is exempt from excise duty – this follows from Article. 30 paragraph. 9 item 1 of the Law on excise duty. Such a spirit in theory, should never be offered for human consumption, only used eg. For cosmetics, firelighters for grill, washer fluid. However, the practice has long been quite different.
Toxic liquid
Contaminated alcohol enters the Polish mainly from Hungary. In 2013. It was a little over one million liters, the excise tax increase in 2014. Now nearly 11 million, and in 2015. More than 14 million. This is confirmed by statistics provided by the Ministry of Finance DGP.
Experts have no doubt that the lion’s share of the alcohol goes to the bazaar sales in the form of tinctures, and even advertised “authentic moonshine.” – Consumers are not aware that they buy drinks were created eg. On the basis of the disinfected washer fluid and that drinking it can expose themselves to health risks – says Leszek Wiwała, president of the Association of Employers of Polish Spirits Industry. And by the way it indicates the divergent estimates of the underground economy on the alcohol market – unpaid taxes range from 1.6 billion to as much as 3 billion zł. – The largest in this part are products based on the disinfected alcohol – says the chairman of ZPPPS.
Powerless treasury
– There are limited possibilities to monitor trading free of excise duty denatured with another EU country – said Deputy finance Minister Marian Banas in response to a parliamentary question No. 1675.
he explained that alcohol completely denatured “by the Hungarian” is popular in Poland because due to the used skażalniki it can be used, for example . cosmetics or personal care. Such products do not cause skin irritation. At the same time, however, very easy to decontaminate, which use the crime – said the deputy minister. He recalled that before July 2013. Method used in Hungary could contaminate alcohol in each EU country, also in Poland.
This changed with the entry into force of the EU regulation on euroskażalnika. From now on, “Hungarian algorithm” is valid only in Hungary (in Poland can contaminate alcohol only “euroskażalnikiem” and the other two methods set out in the Regulation). I do not mind it while importing contaminated alcohol from Hungary, of course, no excise duty.
Previously, Latvia and Ukraine
The risks associated with denatured alcohol, the decontamination and offering to consumption indicate years reports MSW. Changing only the countries where it is imported: once they were Ukraine and Latvia, Hungary now.
Slawomir Gray, chairman of the Trade Union of Customs officers PL, recalls that, according to the findings of the Supreme Chamber of Control only in the years 2005- 2007 alcohol from Ukraine imported under the guise of another product caused the loss of 2.3 billion zł. Only after a long battle managed to stop all dealings, but a loss for the spirits industry were enormous – explains.
How to fight
legally operating businesses have no chance in competition with alcohol from the gray zone. – At the bazaar, it costs up to five times less than in the store – explains Leszek Wiwała.
Industry suggests standardizing EU-wide rules on the denaturing and the introduction of monitoring trading alcohols technical. According to Leszek Wiwały must also admit customs officials the right to prosecute crimes related to illegal alcohol disinfection and provide them with full operational powers in the fight against tax fraud. Industry also wants to increase penalties for counterfeiting of alcohol and niepodwyższania excise duty on alcohol.
From the replies of Deputy Minister Banas to a parliamentary interpellation that the Ministry of Finance for now collects materials that will allow Poland to decide whether to request the European Commission to change procedures denaturing. The point is not to be used skażalniki, which are easily removed afterwards. Such a request will not, however, to the EC earlier than in 2017. – According to the deputy minister answer.
Time to requests
The problem of contaminated alcohol in Poland is, briefly speaking, the problem of inequality. On the one hand we have the domestic producers, which is not enough that they are entitled to a limited range of possible use skażalników (not among them Hungarian), it is still strictly controlled by Customs settling the alcohol for each liter. On the other hand, there is virtually uncontrolled, relatively easy to decontaminate alcohol from Hungary. If we compare the cost of production due to the excise tax (approximately 1:40), we can conclude that the system itself creates an incentive for illegal activities.
The solution should be to eliminate inequality. The abolition of the excise tax on alcohol Food is not an option, but a completely denatured alcohol under Community rules should be monitored throughout the EU.
Mariusz Szulc, 18/04/2016
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