A pack of cigarettes (illustration).

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  • With the deconfinement, the French will once again source their cigarettes in Andorra.

  • During customs checks, some were surprised to be told that they could now only bring back two packs of untaxed cigarettes from the Principality.

  • So, can we bring back only two packs of cigarettes or a carton and a half?

    Both, depending on where you live.

With the deconfinement, some French smokers have returned to Andorra to get supplies of cigarettes, sometimes coming from far away but also from the surrounding villages.

While it is not uncommon to be checked, some were surprised to hear customs officers explain to them that they could now only bring back two packages.

When others are allowed to bring back a cartridge and a half.

Something to sow doubt in the minds, even in that of the head of the Andorran government who questioned the situation at the beginning of the week.

This prompted customs to clarify the legislation.

In order to limit traffic, the quota is indeed different whether one lives an hour's drive from the border or less than five minutes.

Under the agreement signed this summer between the European Union and Andorra, individuals are allowed to import, without paying duties and taxes on manufactured tobacco, a maximum of 300 cigarettes, i.e. one and a half cartons, or 150 cigarillos, 75 cigars or 400 grams of rolling tobacco.

Special case of cross-border workers

But the regulations differ if one is a worker or a border resident.

The latter, who travel to the other side of the border every day, have a special diet and are only allowed to bring back two packs of cigarettes a day, or 40 cigarettes.

“The border resident with the Principality of Andorra is a person having his residence in an area which cannot exceed 15 kilometers in depth as the crow flies from the Franco-Andorran border, in the departments of Ariège or Pyrénées-Orientales ”, specifies the regional customs directorate of Toulouse.

Thus, the inhabitants of Porté-Puymorens or l'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre are not subject to the same regime as a Toulousain or a Perpignanais.

For very very very heavy smokers, it is therefore preferable to live in Foix than on the Franco-Andorran border to save money.

Miscellaneous

Bordeaux: Vast gendarmerie operation to dismantle cigarette trafficking and pimping

Society

Containment in Occitania: It's the rush to get supplies, huge traffic jam on the roads of Andorra

  • Customs

  • Andorra

  • Tobacco

  • Toulouse

  • Cigarette

  • Society