香港零酒稅

前任財爺唐英年在上年的財政預算案將葡萄酒和啤酒稅項大幅減半，令我感到不可思議，但從其他高官口中得悉，原來政府有零酒稅的計劃，希望把香港打造成亞洲葡萄酒中心。今天財爺曾俊華公佈他的首個財政預算案，葡萄酒和啤酒稅項終於如願完全取消，對於我輩酒佬當然是2008年的最大喜訊。

新鮮出爐的財政預算案有四項與酒有關，原文如下：

112. I now turn to wine trading and distribution businesses. According to industry estimates, total spending on table wine in the Asian economies excluding Japan is around $55 billion, which accounts for about seven per cent of the global market. The industry forecasts that there will be a considerable growth in table wine spending in this region and that the economies with the largest growth will include the Mainland, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

113. Hong Kong's advantageous geographical location, advanced transport and logistics infrastructure and rich experience in international promotion are favourable to the development of trading, storage and distribution of quality table wine.

114. Currently, London is the trading and distribution centre of quality table wine for the world. The industry indicates that many of the businesses there are owned by Hong Kong companies. It is expected that by developing the various businesses in Hong Kong relating to quality table wine, our total business volume in trading, storage and auction of table wine may increase by as much as $4 billion. We believe that, in the long run, this will create more favourable conditions for the development of such economic activities as catering services, tourism, brand promotion and exhibitions, table wine appreciation and related educational activities that can achieve synergy with table wine trading and create new jobs.

115. After taking into account the development potential and the job opportunities that can be created, I believe that we should support the further development of these businesses in Hong Kong. The industry has indicated that the current duty on alcoholic beverages and the related administrative controls are the major obstacles to the development of the businesses. I propose to exempt the duties on wine, beer and all other alcoholic beverages except spirits with immediate effect, and remove the related administrative controls upon amendment of the relevant legislation, so as to facilitate the import, export and storage of these alcoholic beverages. The proposal will cost the Government about $560 million a year.

我不知道零酒稅會否令香港變成亞洲葡萄酒中心，但肯定會對香港的旅遊業有非常大的幫助。不過，家中酒柜存放著大量完稅天價名酒的收藏家，卻肯定笑不出來了。