The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) will meet with a European official later to discuss the impact of repealing a tax exemption for small cider producers.
Camra representatives will meet with a special advisor to Pierre Moscovici, the European commissioner responsible for European taxation, in Strasbourg to ask him to withdraw the EU’s request to remove the exemption. Camra has said that the proposed move could cost up to £2,700 every year and impact the livelihoods of small-scale producers across the UK.
Arranged with the support of MEPs Anneliese Dodds and Clare Moody, the meeting follows the presentation of a petition calling on the UK government to intervene in the legislation. It has so far attracted 26,000 signatories.
Camra was due to meet with Pierre Moscovici, until a referendum on Greece’s international bailout.
Somerset Cider Company owner Guy Smith, who will attend the meeting alongside Camra, said: “I run an established vineyard but am now looking at restoring our historic orchard. The legal change would make the restoration unprofitable without the tax breaks, and our business wouldn’t be able to grow. The personal and environmental impact will be huge, so I look forward to meeting with the commissioner’s office to explain how this issue has a real impact on people’s livelihoods.”
Camra National Cider and Perry Committee chairman Andrea Briers added: “The European Union’s demand to impose this new tax on small cider producers will make production uneconomic and lead to wide-spread closures, seriously damaging a small but vibrant industry. This meeting is a fantastic opportunity for Camra to impress upon the commissioner just how vital the exemption is to the UK’s historic industry.”
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