Italy's plastic tax has been postponed to July 2024. This is the fifth extension!
Italy has once again postponed the implementation of the single-use plastic excise tax (MACSI) for the fifth time. The first time is in July 2021, the second time is in January 2022, the third time is in January 2023, and the fourth time is in January 2024. It is now postponed to July 2024.
In its year-end budget law, the Italian Parliament once again postponed the tax on single-use plastic products, which was originally scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2024, but has now been rescheduled to take effect on July 1, 2024, together with the "sugar tax" .
Originally approved in the 2020 budget law, the Italian plastic tax imposes a €450 per ton (€0.45 per kilogram) single-use plastic packaging made from virgin plastic, including films and preforms. The scope of the tax excludes compostable plastics, recycled plastics and all medical device and pharmaceutical packaging that comply with UNI EN 13432 standards.
Despite five consecutive delays, the implementation of the regulation still awaits the issuance of guidelines by the Director of the Customs and Monopoly Service to determine the applicable rules.
The ongoing delays raise questions about Italy's readiness and consensus to implement a plastics tax.
Some industry insiders have analyzed that even if implemented, the 450-euro tax will exempt products produced from composted plastics and recycled plastics, as well as medical and pharmaceutical products. This may be due to the influence exerted by Italian companies in related industries, including Novamont, the largest PBAT manufacturer in Europe.
