Taxes on appliances

Accession to the European Union involves the application of taxes on electronic devices and appliances. If in European countries, users pay up to 8-9 Euros for environment tax on computers, printers or laptops, Romanian people find out only now that starting accession, they will have to come up with money for the entire equipment they hold. This environment tax will be included, starting this summer, in the sale prices of electronic products and appliances of any type.

The law regarding this tax for environment protection, adopted at the end of last year, will be applicable in a few months, when electronic devices and appliances importers and manufacturers will be obligated to register with the registry of the Ministry of Environment and to pay this tax.

Of all the electric products and appliances for which the environment tax will be paid, the most expensive one will be a refrigerator. Prices are still uncertain, since, recycling companies play a very important role in fixing the amounts in settling this tax. According to the president of the Association of Information Technology and Communication Equipment Manufacturers and Distributors, Valentin Negoita, at present, in Romania the market of recyclables in the category of electronic products and appliances reaches 15 million Euros.

At the level of Mures county, sale of this category of products is effectuated without seeming to be influenced by this tax. “We know nothing about this environment tax yet. Truly we cannot provide any information until the headquarters inform us”, a representative of Altex Mures declared.

At Flanco, this tax is looked at with suspicion, because last year, an increase was expected for this category of products, but actually, prices decreased a lot. “Nothing is known yet about such a tax, but I don’t think that it will affect us as a saleroom. I don’t think we will change the prices, since they are unique throughout the country. Even last year, in the first months of the year, only increases in price and new taxes were announced, but in fact, compared to 2004, prices decreased by 30%. It’s possible that the same happens this year, perhaps not for all products, but for sure for some. And this is so because, for instance, audio systems are not bought anymore, because everyone targets IT, so prices decreased very much for audio”, Maria Oanca, Flanco Mures shop manager specified. (S.S.)