Government to rake in €2 million on vino tax

Wine, the only alcohol which to date had never been taxed will now increase by 20c per litre. While the excise duty is intended to readdress market discrepancies, Scicluna said government will embark on a campaign promoting Maltese wines.

Car licences

Annual licence fees for vehicles will increase by up to €15, with an exception made for cars with a carbon dioxide emission which does not exceed 100g per kilometre.

Meanwhile, the registration tax on ATVs or quad bikes will be reduced in order to promote the use of vehicles with small engines that pollute less.

Vintage motorbikes with an engine smaller than 250cc will also be exempt from the registration tax.

Cranes

Tower cranes blocking roads for hours on end are a common nuisance and as from January, government will introduce a daily levy of €10 to €15 depending on the size of the vehicle.

Fish farms

A new tax of €0.10/kg will be levied on feed used in fish farms, while excise duties on cement will also increase.

Insurance policies

The stamp duty on insurance policies, with the exception of life polices, will increase by 1%.

Swim or sink

Homeowners who enjoy a dip in their pool will have to dig deeper in their pockets after licences increased by 15% and the introduction of a new tax of €4.60 per cubic metre. Commercial pools will have to pay €6.90 per cubic metre.

Gas and fuels

Gas prices will be fixed at €18 until April, €3 cheaper than December 2012. On the other hand, while excise duty on petrol and diesel will go up as from January consumers will be paying 1c less per litre of diesel and 2c less per litre of petrol.