"AANEBE contests the 9.9% increase in the IABA excise tax rate (tax on alcohol, alcoholic beverages and beverages with added sugar or other sweeteners) in the category of spirits, provided for in the Budget proposal for State for 2024, and asks the Government to be open so that, in line with the parliamentary groups, it reviews this measure in the discussion in the specialty".

The association maintains that, after the IABA was frozen between 2019 and 2022, if the expected increase is confirmed, the rate will increase by 15% in just two years, "disproportionately burdening spirits companies, the entire chain of value (HORECA [hotel, restaurant and cafeteria] channel, distributors and retail) and consumers".

"Portugal enters the 'top' ranking of European Union countries with the highest incidence of taxation in this type of products".

According to ANEBE, the industry "is in shock and truly surprised by the announcement of this historic rise, which is the biggest ever applied to the sector", and urgent hearings have already been requested from the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister, in an attempt to reverse the increase defined in the OE2024 proposal.

"The Government still has time to correct the error, it just needs to work together with the parliamentary groups in discussing the specialty”.