With law 28 January 2009, n. 2, published in the Official Journal of the Italian Republic n. 22 - S.O, of 28 January 2009, the decree 29 November 2008, n. 185, establishing urgent measures of support to families, job, occupation and enterprises, has been converted in law. Among the most interesting news in the tax/customs sector there is the introduction (art. 16) of a provision establishing a statutory interpretation concerning at. 50 bis, par. 4, of d.l. 30 August 1993 n. 331, converted with amendments in law 29 October 1993, n. 427, i.e. the article introducing and regulating VAT warehouses within the Italian legal system.

According to such provsion, the services of consigment to the warehousekeeper referred to in par. 4, point  h), d.l. 331/1993 (i.e. provisions of services - processing operations and usual forms of handling included  - concerning goods stored in a VAT warehouse, even though not materially performed in the warehouse, but in premises bordering the warehouse site and provided that, in such a  case, that thier lenght is not superior to 60 days), are considered as an introduction in the VAT warehouse.
 

The European Commission, in collaboration with the member States, has established the "Excise duty tables" indicating the excises (ad valorem and specific) updated to January 2009, that are applied on manufactured tobacco by each member State. Such tables are published twice a year, usually in January and July.

Excises rates applied on alcol beverages, as well as those applied on energetic products and electricity, are available (the relevant rates are updated on July 2008) at the following links:

• alcol beverages
• energetic products and electricity

In the next days also the updated rates on these two categories of goods will be published on the EU Commission General Directorate TAXUD web site.