The British American Tobacco (BAT) Company contributed to Romania's state budget with almost 5 billion RON during the first half of 2021, going up by approximately 700 million RON (+18%) from the sum paid during H1 of last year, according to a company's press release on Monday.
In 2020, BAT was the largest taxpayer to Romania's budget, with a contribution of almost 9.6 billion RON (2 billion Euro) in taxes and duties. This was possible due to record drops of illicit trade, which went down for the first time under the level of 10%, the press release reads.
Excise duties represent approximately 60% of a pack of cigarettes, plus VAT, which means that taxes go up to almost 80% of the price of a pack of cigarettes, according to the press release, Agerpres informs.
BAT is the largest player on the tobacco market, with a share of over 50% and one of Romania's main investors.
From 1996 and until no, the company's total investments in the southeastern Ploiesti factory have gone over the threshold of 500 million.
In Romania BAT has over 3,000 employees and creates another 30,000 jobs through its supply and distribution chain
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