Commission decides to refer PORTUGAL to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to notify measures in the area of excise duty

European Commission - Press release Commission decides to refer PORTUGAL to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to notify measures in the area of excise duty Brussels, 18 June 2025 Today, the European Commission decided to refer Portugal to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to fully transpose into national law Council Directive (EU) 2020/262 of 19 December 2019 laying down the general arrangements for excise duty (recast) and Council Directive (EU) 2020/1151 of 29 July 2020 amending Directive 92/83/EEC on the harmonisation of the structures of excise duties on alcohol and alcoholic beverages. All EU Member States were required to bring into force the laws necessary to fully transpose Directive (EU) 2020/262 and Directive (EU) 2020/1151 by 31 December 2021 and communicate the text of those measures to the Commission immediately. However, the national measures fully transposing these Directives still have not been notified by Portugal. Two letters of formal notice were sent on 28 January 2022, followed by reasoned opinions on 15 July 2022. Despite the communication of several national measures by Portugal, the national authorities acknowledged that some provisions are still missing to fully transpose these directives. Portugal is the only Member State that failed to fully transpose the provisions of these directives in the national legislation. The Commission considers that efforts by the authorities have, to date, been...