2025-12-23 08:11
publication
2025-12-23 08:11
Minister of Finance and Economy Andrzej Domański announced on Monday that the government would return to the draft law increasing the so-called sugar levy. He emphasized that the funds obtained from this fee were almost entirely intended to support the health care system.
“Mr. President is hindering the repair of Polish finances, which supports the strength of the Polish economy. His decisions regarding the veto, e.g. regarding the sugar levy, are absolutely incomprehensible. The president vetoed the bill, of which 97 percent income would go directly to the National Health Fund. It was similar in the case of the veto regarding excise duty on alcohol,” said the head of the Ministry of Finance on TVP Info.
Domański announced renewed work on the act increasing the so-called sugar levy.
“We will return to the sugar levy. I see no reason to make any changes when it comes to the sugar levy,” he said.
The Minister of Finance and Economy also addressed Karol Nawrocki's reservations regarding the deadlines provided for in the act increasing excise duty on alcohol..
“All statutory deadlines (…) have been met,” Domański emphasized.
He noted that alcohol in Poland is “relatively cheap, and there is a problem with alcoholism in some social groups”, meanwhile the additional funds that would flow into the budget thanks to the increase in excise duty on alcohol “would be redirected to strengthening health care in Poland.”
On Thursday, President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the amendment to the Public Health Act and the Personal Income Tax Act.
The new regulations were intended to increase the sugar fee to discourage the purchase of sweet and energy drinks and thus limit, among other things, obesity and diabetes.
The fee rates were to be increased, among others: from PLN 0.50 to PLN 0.70 per liter of a drink with sugar up to 5 g per liter or sweetener, and from PLN 0.10 to PLN 1.00 for added caffeine or taurine.
In the president's opinion, the aim of the amendment was to fill the “budget hole”, and the tax “of up to PLN 3.60 on a two-liter drink or juice is a real blow to household budgets”.
The president also vetoed the bill increasing the excise tax on alcohol in 2026-2027. The president stated that the amendment did not provide “time for entrepreneurs and consumers to prepare” for the increase. (PAP)
gkc/ drag/ pr/
