(ANSA) - Rome, October 17 - Proceeds from a new sugar tax
should go to the education sector, Education Minister Lorenzo
Fioramonti said Thursday.
"I expect the proceeds to go to schools, universities and
research," he said.
This, he said, was in the initial proposal he made when he
proposed putting a tax on sugary snacks, and was widely
criticised.
The government has now said the tax will be restricted to
sugary drinks and not snacks.
But Fioramonti said the adoption of his idea showed that "it
was not so much pie in the sky, was it?"
He said "I don't expect to be thanked by the government for
having brought this idea to the country".
The new tax is contained in the 2020 budget, which is
currently being tweaked.
The government approved the 2020 budget in a marathon
overnight session Wednesday morning but it is still being
fine-tuned.
Among its major measures are the avoidance of a VAT hike, a
boost for credit card payments instead of cash, the plastic tax
and other moves towards a green economy.
The budget has led to sparring between the senior government
partner, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) and its
junior partners the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and the
centrist Italia Viva (IV) party.
But it is set to be sent to Brussels on schedule.
Sugar tax proceeds to schools
Glad I put idea to country says ed minister