Alcohol importers presented key arguments in favour of postponing eExcise

15/ 09/ 2025

On 10 September, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, bringing together representatives of business, industry associations, and government bodies. The participants discussed the state of readiness of the electronic traceability system for excisable goods, eExcise. Key concerns were voiced by Anton Yelisieiev, Head of the European Business Association’s Committee on Wine and Spirits. According to him, the system is being developed with serious delays, and businesses have effectively been deprived of the opportunity to properly test its operation. Under the law, the pilot phase was supposed to start on 1 March 2025 and last for ten months. However, due to delays in adopting secondary legislation and issues with software development, it has effectively been shortened to just two months. This contradicts the agreements between the state and business and puts at risk the quality launch of the system. For companies, an extended testing period is critically important. During this time, importers must adapt internal processes, integrate new IT solutions, and verify them at every stage of the movement of excisable goods: from the moment of import into Ukraine to retail sale. Without this, there is a high risk of large-scale technical failures that could paralyse business operations and cause disruptions in product supply. Importers emphasise that they do not oppose the very idea of eExcise. On the contrary, business supports the introduction of the electronic excise stamp, which should become an effective tool in combating the shadow market. However, launching the system without full-scale testing, industry representatives warn, may have the opposite effect: destabilising the market, reducing tax revenues, and creating chaos in supply chains. Ultimately, the parties managed to reach a compromise. The Ministry of Digital Transformation and business agreed to extend the pilot phase until 1 November 2026, with a corresponding shift of all other deadlines stipulated by law. This should provide sufficient time for the market to adapt and for the system to be launched in a fully operational format. Businesses expressed their gratitude to the Government for its willingness to take companies’ arguments into account and expect Parliament to adopt the necessary legislative amendments in the near future. According to market participants, only a balanced approach with adequate preparation time will allow eExcise to fulfil its main function, to effectively monitor the payment of excise tax and reduce the share of illicit trade in alcoholic beverages.

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On 10 September, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, bringing together representatives of business, industry associations, and government bodies. The participants discussed the state of readiness of the electronic traceability system for excisable goods, eExcise.

Key concerns were voiced by Anton Yelisieiev, Head of the European Business Association’s Committee on Wine and Spirits. According to him, the system is being developed with serious delays, and businesses have effectively been deprived of the opportunity to properly test its operation.

Under the law, the pilot phase was supposed to start on 1 March 2025 and last for ten months. However, due to delays in adopting secondary legislation and issues with software development, it has effectively been shortened to just two months. This contradicts the agreements between the state and business and puts at risk the quality launch of the system.

For companies, an extended testing period is critically important. During this time, importers must adapt internal processes, integrate new IT solutions, and verify them at every stage of the movement of excisable goods: from the moment of import into Ukraine to retail sale. Without this, there is a high risk of large-scale technical failures that could paralyse business operations and cause disruptions in product supply.

Importers emphasise that they do not oppose the very idea of eExcise. On the contrary, business supports the introduction of the electronic excise stamp, which should become an effective tool in combating the shadow market. However, launching the system without full-scale testing, industry representatives warn, may have the opposite effect: destabilising the market, reducing tax revenues, and creating chaos in supply chains.

Ultimately, the parties managed to reach a compromise. The Ministry of Digital Transformation and business agreed to extend the pilot phase until 1 November 2026, with a corresponding shift of all other deadlines stipulated by law. This should provide sufficient time for the market to adapt and for the system to be launched in a fully operational format.

Businesses expressed their gratitude to the Government for its willingness to take companies’ arguments into account and expect Parliament to adopt the necessary legislative amendments in the near future. According to market participants, only a balanced approach with adequate preparation time will allow eExcise to fulfil its main function, to effectively monitor the payment of excise tax and reduce the share of illicit trade in alcoholic beverages.