Senators want to accelerate the increase in the price of cigarettes. (illustration) (Cherylholt / Pixabay)
Senators voted on Thursday, November 21, for an amendment proposing to accelerate the increase in the price of a pack of cigarettes. The price would then increase from next year to 12.70 euros.
Bad news for smokers. The price of a pack of cigarettes could increase more than expected in 2025. Senators adopted on Thursday, November 21, an amendment to the Social Security budget providing for an increase in tobacco taxes.
According to the schedule planned to date, the price of a packet of cigarettes must reach 12.30 euros next year, and 12.60 in 2027, indicates
Public Senate
. This text proposes to accelerate the pace with a price of 12.70 euros from 2025 which would remain unchanged in 2027.
A measure that could bring in 200 million euros
Even though it was adopted by a very large majority in the Senate, this measure is still far from possible implementation. In fact, the government opposed such an increase in tobacco prices a few weeks ago. Last October 17, during the annual congress of the Confederation of tobacconists, the Minister of Budget and Public Accounts, Laurent Saint-Martin, affirmed that the price of a pack of cigarettes would not increase more than what was planned.
But, while the public deficit is worrying, the government could reconsider its copy. Such an increase in taxation on cigarettes would indeed allow it to pocket an additional 200 million euros in the Social Security coffers.
Belgium
