Cabinet agrees to double mineral water charges

The Czech Cabinet on Monday agreed to a proposal to double charges imposed on drinks companies for the right to use mineral water. The meeting agreed to double the charge, currently fixed at 3 crowns/cubic metre and unchanged since 2001. The Ministry of Finance, which drafted the proposal, said it was a question of better managing the state’s assets. The Mineral Water Association, which groups mineral water companies, said the increase was a large one and would hit them hard, adding that the charges relate to the maximum amount of water that can be used with companies often only using up a third of their allocation. Smaller companies would be hardest hit, it added.

Author: Chris Johnstone