According to a draft emergency ordinance adopted today, 27 July, by the Executive, the value of meal vouchers will increase from 1 August to 35 lei, and then from 1 January to 40 lei.
The measure follows discussions between the Government and representatives of trade unions and employers in the National Tripartite Council for Social Dialogue and the significant increase in food prices.
“The Government has approved, at the proposal of the Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity, the increase in the value of the meal ticket in the context of the decrease in the purchasing power of the population as a result of the war in Ukraine and the liberalisation of energy prices,” according to a recent Labour Ministry press release.
More specifically, the current value of meal vouchers, which is 30 lei, will be increased to 35 lei from 1 August 2023. Then, from 1 January 2024, the value will rise to 40 lei and will remain at this level until at least September 2024.We mention that the draft OUG provides for the repeal of the ministerial order no.1263/2023 which sets the current value of 30 lei for meal vouchers on 1 August 2023, because that value is now set to apply until September 2023 and would overlap with the new desired value from 1 August.
According to the explanatory note of the normative act approved today by the Executive, “The value of meal vouchers in the last two semesters has not registered any increase, although the price of food and utilities has increased significantly, so that currently the value of a meal voucher, which is 30 lei, is small to ensure a decent meal during a working day. By increasing the nominal value of meal vouchers to the appropriate level, the state has the possibility to implement a fiscal facility that ensures better collection of taxes and duties, thus decreasing the underground economy, and the increase in the nominal value will be directly reflected in the purchasing power of employees and, consequently, in the revenues of the state budget, as this income is subject to taxation.”