The beer market fell 8% this year following excise duty increases at the beginning of the year, the association noted.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta said last week excise duties would be calculated as of January 1, 2014 considering the inflation rate instead of the currency exchange rate.
The government estimates it will collect 1.1 billion lei (EUR0.25 billion) next year following the measure, according to a document obtained by Mediafax.
“We are concerned about Romanian authorities’ constant failure to offer predictability for the business environment (…) It has already been proved that fiscal pressure lowers consumption, which translates into lower budget revenues. We analyzed the volume of beer sales in the first eight months of 2013, following a 16% excise duty increase which took effect at the beginning of the year, and found that the beer market shrank 8%,” Constantin Bratu, general manager of the Romanian Brewers Association, said in a press release.
In Romania, about 60% of excise revenues from the spirits industry is generated by the beer sector, according to the association.
Brewers have invested over EUR1.2 billion in Romania so far.
The Romanian Brewers Association includes five large brewers (Bergenbier, Heineken, Romaqua, Ursus and United Romanian Breweries Bereprod) and a smaller one (Clinica de bere). (EUR1=RON4.4545)