Brussels is investigating food chain supervision fee and healthcare contribution of tobacco companies

European Commission has initiated an investigation regarding supervision fee required to pay by food chains and also regarding healthcare contribution fee affecting trade of tobacco products in order to find out if the two provisions are in compliance with the EU rules on government subsidies.

These financial burdens apply progressive tax rates – higher income triggers higher rates.
EC's concern is that government may provide advantage to companies with lower revenues and this might be considered as illegal government subsidy.

Brussels has banned the application of progressive tax rates until the end of investigation, yet they underlined that the initiation of investigation itself does not imply that the suspicion of illegal government subsidy has been proved. (MTI, Konsiczky Zoltán)