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Germans block beer tax

Posted by JosB on 2006-11-08 12:41:11

It is all part of a proposal by DG SANCO, a commission of the EU, that is sort of neo-prohibitionistic in policy. Initially they wanted to emerge the whole EU in a blanket of regulations not unlike those in Scandinavia, including state monopoly, raising the legal age for drinking to 21, and indeed raising the minimum excise duty on beer by 31%. Mind you - the minimum excise duty on spoilt grape juice aka wine is EUR 0/hl, so if you raise that by 31% you still have a minimum excise duty of EUR 0/hl. EBCU and Brewers of Europe have until now been quite succesful in campaigning against this neo-prohibitionist policy. And as a sidekick: recently it turned out that the Scandinavian policy just doesn't work: Even with its very restrictive policy, it is Finland that faces the highest problems in alcohol-related problems anywhere in Europe. It is the best proof that restrictive policy just doesn't work. More background information on the subject: http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/doc/alcoholineu_summary_en.pdf http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/alcohol/documents/ev_20050307_rd01_en.pdf http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1165&format=PDF&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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Germans block beer tax by Nick B. on  2006-11-08 13:55:49