I comment on the latest adjusted proposals to reform the EU Tobacco Tax Directive, noting in the article:
It’s “not that surprising” that a country with low tobacco tax rates would propose lower rates across the bloc, said Rob Branston, a business economist at the University of Bath who is also co-director of the Tobacco Control Research Group.
He praised the move to include heated tobacco and nicotine products in the directive for the first time. “Member states would be obliged to tax these products, and that would mean higher prices. And higher prices is good because it means they're harder for consumers to purchase, and therefore less likely to be purchased.”
The University of Bath has received support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, which also provides financial support to The Examination. The Examination operates independently and is solely responsible for its content.