Brussels, 8 December 2020: the European Commission opened two roadmaps on tobacco taxation for feedback from relevant stakeholders.

The two roadmaps focus on:

1. Tobacco taxation – excise duties for manufactured tobacco products (updated rules) (access here)
2. Alcohol & tobacco bought abroad – review of tax rules (access here)

The Commission will use these roadmaps to define the scope of the revision of the Tobacco Tax Directive and the revision of Article 32 of Council Directive 2008/118/EC, respectively. Both roadmaps will be followed by public consultations.

The roadmaps are opened for feedback until 5 January 2021 (midnight Brussels time).

In light of this, SFP would like to highlight its policy asks, helping ensure that tobacco taxation serves to protect and enhance public health:

1. Set an objective of 30% reduction in current tobacco use in people above the age of 15 by 2025
2. Achieve upwards convergence of prices across Member States
3. Bridge the gap between the prices of roll-your-own (RYO)/ make-your-own (MYO) tobacco and cigarettes
4. Introduce a specific definition and tax category for raw tobacco

More information on our position can be found in the SFP Tobacco Tax for a Healthier Europe Position Paper, available here.