The Philippine Embassy in Doha reports that the Qatar General Tax Authority (GTA) launched the Excise Tax Warehouse Licensing Service effective 01 April 2026. The initiative establishes a tax suspension regime, allowing excisable goods to be stored in licensed warehouses without immediate payment of excise tax. 

The measure applies to select goods, including tobacco products, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages (special purpose goods), carbonated drinks, sweetened beverages (including the planned sugar tax expansion in July 2026).  

The Excise Tax Warehouse Licensing Service introduces several important features: 

• Deferred Tax Payment, where excise tax is payable only upon release of goods from the warehouse for domestic consumption; 

• Tax Exemption for Re-exports, whereby goods shipped out of Qatar are not subject to excise tax; 

• Licensed Warehousing, requiring storage in GTA-approved facilities; and 

• Digital Compliance, with all transactions processed and monitored through the Dhareeba Portal. 

Philippine exporters are advised to verify and determine whether their goods are subject to excise tax in Qatar, engage Qatari partners regarding access to licensed warehouse arrangements and align documentation with GTA requirements under the Dhareeba Portal. 

For more information stakeholders may reach out to the Export Marketing Bureau – Market Division at marketdivision@dti.gov.ph, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Riyadh at Riyadh@dti.gov.ph or the Philippine Embassy in Doha at doha.pe@dfa.gov.ph, with copy furnished to oecd.economic@dfa.gov.ph.