The Spanish government has been urged to increase the price of alcoholic drinks.
Health professionals have drawn up a bill to implement European Union tax rises on alcohol in an attempt to curb booze-fuelled tourism. The draft also includes proposals to raise the legal drinking age in a bid to prevent underage drinking - as Wales Online reports.
The minimum excise duty for alcohol products has not been updated across the UK since 1992 - and the European Commission claims this means the current rules “have not kept pace with inflation, the evolution of the market, consumption patterns or growing public health concerns." The current rules ensure minimum rates for alcohol products are implemented across the EU to avoid distortions of competition.
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Currently Spain levies one of the lowest tax rates in Europe, collecting about €2.69 per 700ml bottle of spirits. By comparison, Italy collects €2.90, Germany €3.65 and France €5.05.
For beer, Spain collects even less - taxing €0.03 per 330ml - well below the EU's average of 14 cents. The nation's cheap drinks are one of the main attractions for party-loving UK tourists with resorts like Benidorm and Magaluf favourites with UK holidaymakers.
The EU has asked for member feedback on its current tax system on alcohol, which closes on July 4. Authorities in Majorca have already announced a crackdown on 'excess tourism' in Magaluf, including restrictions aimed at stamping out alcohol abuse and drunken behaviour among visitors.
Balearic tourism minister Iago Negueruela said last year that the region was preparing for more quality rather than quantity of tourists following the coronavirus pandemic. He said: "We want to eradicate tourism excesses that have caused so much damage to our destination.
"The islands are managing to attract a kind of visitor who spends more on their holidays and therefore supports the profitability of the sector without it just being based on numbers.
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