Buying cigarettes abroad limited to one carton instead of four

• On Wednesday, the National Assembly voted a government amendment that reduces the number of cartons of cigarettes that can be brought back from neighboring countries from four to one.
• Good news for tobacconists who saw their sales increase during confinement, the borders being closed.
• This measure should make it possible to fight against smuggling and against a loss of tax revenue of several billion each year for the French State.

For some, the little trip to Spain, Italy or Belgium is part of the monthly meetings, just to fill up on cigarettes. Smokers could so far bring back four cartridges from these border countries each time they passed through.

But since Wednesday, that number has been reduced to a carton by MPs who adopted a government amendment that lowered the possession threshold for cigarettes as part of the review of the third draft crisis budget. Except Andorra where the quota remains fixed at a cartridge and a half.

The National Assembly decides to limit tobacco purchases in border countries. The Minister of Public Accounts Olivier Dussopt put forward "an objective of public health" and "support for tobacconists". It is also about "combating contraband tobacco" pic.twitter.com/wRwoHThjvI

Beyond the public health aspect of this measure, Olivier Dussopt, the Minister of Public Accounts, put before the deputies support for tobacconists but also the fight against smuggling.

Sales explosion during containment

It must be said that during the containment, tobacco sales exploded on the border departments, proof is that some are supplied elsewhere than in France when the borders are open.

“In Haute-Garonne, I visited tobacconists in Comminges who saw their sales multiplied by two or four during this period. We knew there was a parallel market, at this height it is unimaginable. Eric Woerth is also looking at what this purchase of tobacco abroad represents as lost tax revenue for France ", underlines Gérard Vidal, regional president of the union chamber of tobacconists of Midi-Pyrénées

for whom this amount is around 5 thousand euros less in the coffers of France.

Its members have long faced competition from Andorra and Spain, where cigarette prices are much lower than those practiced in France. “The health policy we are talking about must be European. When you have a package price in France at 10 euros and it is 5 euros in Spain and 3.5 euros in Andorra, for the consumer there is no photo. We need price harmonization, which is why we are asking for a moratorium for four to five years, while other countries can raise their prices, ”continues this representative of the profession.

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• Tobacconist
• Smuggling
• Health
• Tobacco
• Toulouse
• Cigarette
• Society