The withdrawal of excise stamps purchased by businesses before 1 September is contrary to the current legislation

19/ 09/ 2023

Starting from September 1, the State Enterprise Printing Plant Ukraine (Polygraph Plant) started issuing new excise tax stamps for marking excisable goods (alcoholic beverages and tobacco products). It is worth noting that Ukrainian law provides that in case of a change in the design of excise tax stamps, the stamps of the previous design that have already been purchased are used in the production of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products until they are fully used, and the products labeled with such stamps are in circulation until they are fully sold within the shelf life. However, the EBA has recently received a request from the Ministry of Finance to express its position on the timing and procedure for withdrawing old excise tax stamps from circulation received by manufacturers and importers of excisable goods, including those already marked with excisable goods, as well as proposals for determining the entity that will be responsible for these measures. The European Business Association does not support the proposals to withdraw from circulation the old-style excise tax stamps received by manufacturers and importers of excisable goods, including those already used to mark excisable goods, as this contradicts the requirements of the tax legislation of Ukraine and may lead to significant losses for business entities, disrupting the sustainability of their operational processes. Accordingly, the business appeals to the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko and the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine to comply with the law by allowing the use of the previous excise tax stamps purchased by manufacturers and importers of excisable goods before September 1, 2023, until they are fully used for the labeling of excisable goods. We hope that the voice of business will be heard!

Starting from September 1, the State Enterprise “Printing Plant “Ukraine” (Polygraph Plant) started issuing new excise tax stamps for marking excisable goods (alcoholic beverages and tobacco products).

It is worth noting that Ukrainian law provides that in case of a change in the design of excise tax stamps, the stamps of the previous design that have already been purchased are used in the production of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products until they are fully used, and the products labeled with such stamps are in circulation until they are fully sold within the shelf life.

However, the EBA has recently received a request from the Ministry of Finance to express its position on the timing and procedure for withdrawing old excise tax stamps from circulation received by manufacturers and importers of excisable goods, including those already marked with excisable goods, as well as proposals for determining the entity that will be responsible for these measures.

The European Business Association does not support the proposals to withdraw from circulation the old-style excise tax stamps received by manufacturers and importers of excisable goods, including those already used to mark excisable goods, as this contradicts the requirements of the tax legislation of Ukraine and may lead to significant losses for business entities, disrupting the sustainability of their operational processes.

Accordingly, the business appeals to the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko and the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine to comply with the law by allowing the use of the previous excise tax stamps purchased by manufacturers and importers of excisable goods before September 1, 2023, until they are fully used for the labeling of excisable goods. We hope that the voice of business will be heard!