Romania’s tax agency ANAF has started a partnership with the Spirits Romania association, which represents the interests of producers and importers of spirits, in order to combat the black market of alcoholic beverages.

Romania has the highest tax evasion in the Union European in this sector. According to the World Health Organization, Romania ranks first in Europe for the consumption of illicit alcohol and ranks 42% below the European average for the alcohol consumption.

Romanians spent on average EUR 1.6 per month on alcohol in 2015, according to the National Statistics Institute (INS). Beer was the most popular drink. People consumed on average 0.2 liters of wine, 1.1 liters of beer, and 0.037 liters of spirits per month.

The Spirits Romania association, which was set up in 2013, represents the interests of companies such as BDG, Brown-Forman, Cristalex, Diageo, PPD, Pernod Ricard Romania, Prodal, and Prodvinalco.

editor@romania-insider.com