General arrangements for excise duty

Briefing 05-03-2018

To ensure proper functioning of the internal market, Directive 2008/118/EC and related pieces of EU law seek harmonisation of the general conditions for charging excise duty on alcohol, tobacco and energy products. Disparities in the application of these rules can result in tax-induced movements of goods, loss of revenue and fraud. The REFIT initiative on general arrangements for excise duty, announced in the Commission's work programme for 2018, intends to further harmonise and simplify provisions for the export, import and transit of excise goods, inter alia through automation of movement control procedures.