Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and its substitutes, products subject to payment of the Special Consumption Tax, will have to be sold with a high security tax stamp, as of this date, a measure aimed at combating smuggling and increasing tax revenue.
For Edgar Sousa, from Vinus (a Sogrape subsidiary), affixing the seal will represent an increase in costs and implies "learning at the start of the process", which will create "some friction" in the logistics chain and may push some small producers away due to the complexity of the process, especially with regard to the management of seals.
And, despite making wines more expensive, at a time when the devaluation of the Angolan currency, the kwanza, is making companies apprehensive, it also brings more guarantees of quality and certification of imports.
"For local importers and distributors, it adds extra business protection because there are many parallel markets that are used for imports, not only to Angola, but to other markets. This type of additional control is normal in many markets. We have to adapt to it and take the added value it can add to us", he commented, speaking to Lusa, on the sidelines of the "Grande Tasting of Wines of Portugal" by Viniportugal, held last week in Luanda.
Rayan Karaan is of the same opinion and stressed that, although it brings more costs and difficulties to the day-to-day of companies, namely in terms of stamp control, the measure benefits companies, as it will put an end to the parallel market.
"I represent Esporão in Angola, but there are importers who go to buy wines from this company without going through official representatives, they go to wholesalers and buy pallets. Then they won't be able to", he indicated.
Marco Pereira, from Viniangola, importer and distributor of Portuguese and foreign wines in Angola, also said that the measure will be beneficial, since "when they enter the market, the stamps will regulate imports".
For the head of Angonabeiro (a subsidiary of Nabeiro, which produces Adega Mayor wines), Nuno Moinhos, the transition is being "smooth", as the company was "prepared for a change in that direction".
He believes, therefore, that, in addition to allowing greater collection of tax revenues for the Angolan State, the certification of wine entry is a positive measure.
The entry into force of the new legislation was scheduled for March 1, 2022, but was postponed, due to lack of regulation, to the following month.
However, the Associação da Indústria das Bebidas de Angola (AIBA) managed to assert its arguments with the Angolan authorities and obtained a further postponement of the deadline and legislative changes, namely in the price of stamps.
