The Finance Ministry confirmed that new excise duty bill, aimed at replacing the current law from 1999, which has become overly complex due to a number of expansions, will differentiate between industrial-scale producers and microbreweries.

The latter will be levied only 50% of the regular duty for beer, which is in line with solutions in place in a number of EU countries. This should make it easier for them to find new markets and clients.

The reduced rate of duties will be in place for those which produce 20,000 hectolitres of beer a year, the ministry said.

The announcement represents a win for microbreweries, which had spent years lobbying for reduced levies as a means of promoting their development.

Last month the parliamentary public finance and economy committees called on the government to consider the debate "on the support to independent microbreweries" in drafting changes to the excise duty act.

Reduced rates of duty will also be in place for small-scale producers of spirits as part of an overhaul of the current annual levy for such producers, which will be eliminated.

The 50% reduction in duty will be in place for those making less than 150 litres of spirits a year.

The new bill on excise duties also aims to expand levying of duty on electronic cigarettes, as part of measures announced by the state to regulate e-cigarettes in new tobacco legislation.

The government is expected to debate the motion at one of its upcoming sessions.