Filenews 26 February 2022 - byEleftheria Paizanos
The Republic of Cyprus entered into new troubles, due to its non-harmonization with the European Directive concerning the structures of excise duties imposed on alcohol and alcoholic beverages.
At the end of January, the Commission sent a new radish to Cyprus, i.e. a letter of formal notice of infringement, due to the failure to notify measures transposing the directives on excise duties. The Director General of the Ministry of Finance, George Pantelis, in a letter to the Parliament, invites her to examine as a matter of priority the bills related to excise duties, as by March 28, the Republic will have to inform the European Commission of the actions it has taken. Next Monday the bills are expected to be put under the microscope of the members of the House Finance Committee.
Cyprus had to transpose the European directive into national law by 31 December 2021. The ministry submitted the relevant bills late to Parliament (in January).
According to the EU's letter of formal notice, despite the obligation for the CCT to transpose the Directive, no full transposition measure ensuring its implementation was communicated to the European Commission. The EU, according to the letter, calls on the government to notify it of the transposition measures that are necessary. It also indicates that the Republic has not fulfilled the obligations it should already adopt. In fact, he warns that if the country does not transpose the European Directive into national law, the Court of Justice of the EU will impose financial penalties on the country. "The European Commission invites the Government, in accordance with Article 258 of the Treaty, to submit its observations within two months of receipt of this letter," the EU notes. It also states that the EU, after examining the observations made by the Republic, may issue, if appropriate, a reasoned opinion (the second stage of the infringement procedure).
