Brussels urges Belarus to raise excise taxes on cigarettes

The European Commission called in February 2017 for Belarus to raise its excise duty rates to match EU levels as regards tobacco transactions.

The statement followed calls for the European Union to increase efforts to halt growing illicit tobacco trade from Belarus. The Budget Commissioner recognised the law excise taxation on cigarettes in Belarus could encourage illicit trade.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 26.01.17: Czech MEP: EU should pressure Belarus over illicit tobacco trade http://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/interview/czech-mep-eu-should-pressure-belarus-over-illicit-tobacco-trade/

EurActiv, 13.01.17: Minsk under pressure to take action against ‘illicit whites’ https://www.euractiv.com/section/trade-society/news/minsk-under-pressure-to-take-action-against-illicit-whites/

EurActiv, 07.02.17: EU anti-fraud official: Tobacco smuggling is ‘major source’ of organised crime http://www.euractiv.com/section/trade-society/interview/olaf-official-tobacco-smuggling-major-source-for-organised-crime/

BBC News, 01.12.16: The town in Belarus from where cigarettes are smuggled to the UK http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38170754

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