Toggle navigation
  • GR
  • EN
  • DE
SEARCH
logo
  • PROFILE
    About us
    Our mission
    Representativeness of SEAOP
    Our Statute
    Organization Structure
    Board of Directors
    Committees
    General Assembly
    Members
    Regular Members
    Honorary Members
    Extra-ordinary Members
    Members’ Map
  • GREEK SPIRITS AND DISTILLATES
    Ouzo (Distilled Anis)
    Tsipouro/Tsikoudia (Grape mark spirit)
    Liqueurs
    Masticha of Chios
    Tentura
    Kitro of Naxos
    Koum Kouat of Corfu
    Metaxa
    Others
    Brandy
    Grape and Fruit Distillates
    Rakomelo
  • ACTIONS
    Collaborations with other Organizations
    Promotion Programs
    Other
    Taste the Greek Spirit
  • RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION
    Enjoy Responsibly
    Self-Regulation Principles
  • MEDIA CENTER
    Press Releases
    News - Events
    Photo Gallery
    Video Gallery
    Infographics
  • CONTACT US
  • PROFILE
    • ABOUT US
      • OUR MISSION
      • REPRESENTATIVENESS OF SEAOP
      • OUR STATUTE
    • ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
      • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
      • COMMITTEES
      • GENERAL ASSEMBLY
    • MEMBERS
      • REGULAR MEMBERS
      • HONORARY MEMBERS
      • EXTRA-ORDINARY MEMBERS
      • MEMBERS’ MAP
  • GREEK SPIRITS AND DISTILLATES
    • OUZO (DISTILLED ANIS)
    • TSIPOURO/TSIKOUDIA (GRAPE MARK SPIRIT)
    • LIQUEURS
      • MASTICHA OF CHIOS
      • TENTURA
      • KITRO OF NAXOS
      • KOUM KOUAT OF CORFU
    • METAXA
    • OTHERS
      • BRANDY
      • GRAPE AND FRUIT DISTILLATES
      • RAKOMELO
  • ACTIONS
    • COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
    • PROMOTION PROGRAMS
    • OTHER
    • TASTE THE GREEK SPIRIT
  • RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION
    • ENJOY RESPONSIBLY
      • GENERAL INFORMATION
    • SELF-REGULATION PRINCIPLES
  • MEDIA CENTER
    • PRESS RELEASES
    • NEWS - EVENTS
    • PHOTO GALLERY
    • VIDEO GALLERY
    • INFOGRAPHICS
  • CONTACT US
  • EXPORTS MADE EASY
  • THE SPIRITS INDUSTRY IN A NUTSHELL
  • MEDIA CENTER
  • Press Releases
  • News - Events
  • Photo Gallery
  • Video Gallery
  • Infographics
HomePage /Media Center / Press Releases
11.07.2019

Greece loses fight over lower taxes for locally brewed spirits

Greece lost a fight to set a lower excise tax on two traditional spirits tsipouro and tsikoudia versus imported products after Europe’s top court on Thursday backed the European Commission’s view that such preferential treatment would breach EU laws.

Athens upset the EU executive after it introduced excise duties on tsipouro and tsikoudia, which is made in Crete, at half the rate from that levied on imported alcoholic beverages.

Small or so-called two-day distillers of the two beverages also enjoyed a super-reduced rate of around 6%. Both spirits, which are made from grapes, have protected designation of origin labels, an EU designation to promote and protect the names of quality agricultural products and foodstuffs

The Commission said the lower taxes indirectly protected tsipouro and tsikoudia from competition from similar imported products.

It took legal action against Greece at the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) in February 2017.

ECJ judges agreed with the Commission, saying that the lower duties were contrary to EU laws.

The case is C-91/18 Commission v Greece (Tsipouro)

The full text of the decision is available on the CURIA website HERE.

 

Source: www.reuters.com

back
right-banner
right-banner
right-banner
right-banner

Greek Spirits and Distillates

banner

Ouzo

banner

Tsipouro / Tsikoudia

banner

Tentura

banner

Masticha of Chios

banner

Kitro of Naxos

banner

Koum Kouat

  • Links
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of use
  • Youtube Channel
  • "SEAOP promotes responsible alcohol consumption" www.apolafste.ypefthina.gr
letrina

S.E.A.O.P. is holder of the
certifcate ISO 9001:2015

spirits

Member of spiritsEUROPE (spiritsEUROPE is the
representative body for the spirits industry at

European level: www.spirits.eu)