Overview

• The council of ministers approved an Omnibus decree on June 20, 2025, deferring the sugar tax’s start date to January 1, 2026, marking its seventh postponement since 2020.
• The delay is projected to cost approximately €140 million in lost revenue, potentially rising if further deferrals occur.
• Lega and Forza Italia lawmakers argued the levy would burden families and small and medium-sized beverage producers, with industry groups like Assobibe and Federalimentare endorsing the decision.
• The World Health Organization recommends sugar taxes to curb obesity and noncommunicable diseases, but evidence from the UK, Norway and Mexico shows mixed impacts on overall sugar intake.
• Alongside the deferral, the decree cuts VAT on art sales to 5% and establishes a €40 monthly childcare bonus for working mothers, while also allocating funds for medical-device paybacks and infrastructure projects.