The finance ministry makes a mistake. A law for the tax on tobacco is valid now. It should start in the year 2027. The law has a wrong date. It is valid since wednesday.
Cigarettes become much more expensive in the future. A pack costs about 12 euro. This should happen in a few years. A high tax rate is valid now because of the mistake. The ministry wants to change the mistake fast.
Nothing changes for smokers right now. The companies have no new tax marks. These are the stickers on the pack. They cannot pay high taxes without these marks. The companies can sell their old stock.
The tobacco branch complains about the mistake. It demands clear rules for the factories. The companies want to make cigarettes. The custom knows about the mistake. It does not demand the high taxes now.
The federal council checks the law again. This takes one month. There is no full safety until then. Politicians call the mistake very embarrassing. The goal of the tax is health protection. The state wants to get more money.
