The vote is the second attempt to impose a charge on the products after the first was overturned in court. Members of the parliament voted to approve a tax of one euro per litre from next year on drinks that contain at least 0.22 grammes of caffeine per litre, or 0.3 grammes of taurine.
The amendment has already been dubbed ‘the Red Bull amendment’ by local media after the world’s most popular energy drink.
The new tax aims at promoting health by limiting the consumption of such drinks, but does not affect ordinary coffee.
Last year, a constitutional court overturned a similar vote and the new tax could also be challenged in court by the centre-right opposition, which was against the measure introduced by the Socialist member of the Parliament, Gerard Bapt.
Bapt, who is also a doctor, argues that French studies have shown that energy beverage can cause heart problems and neuropsychological problems.
Red Bull has been on sale in France since 2008 after being banned for 12 years due to health authorities’ concerns about taurine.
In France, a tax on all beverages with added sugar or with artificial sweeteners had already been introduced in 2012.
Source: Euractiv.com with Reuters
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