Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
May 4th 2004, 7:08 am
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
May 04, 2004
Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
By Ian Evans
WHEN Robert Sleeman walked through Heathrow Customs with 3,600
cigarettes, he thought it was a triumph for the new enlarged EU.
Returning from Poland he had paid just £200 for the cigarettes —
saving nearly £700 compared with British prices.
But what Mr Sleeman did not realise was that when the EU enlarged, so
did the red tape. Poland was not obeying EU customs regulations which
dictate the level of duty member nations must impose on tobacco
products if citizens are to enjoy lower duty shopping.
So when thousands of smokers arrive from Poland — and Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia — they are allowed to bring in only
200 cigarettes for their own use or pay the extra duty.
"I could not believe it, I was seething," Mr Sleeman said. "When these
countries joined the EU, I thought we were supposed to benefit from
cheaper goods like cigarettes and alcohol. But no, it's just more
silly rules which end up costing people more money."
Mr Sleeman, 39, said Customs and Excise staff were waiting for him.
"There was no warning in Warsaw about this, and nothing in Britain.
When I walked through Customs with my carrier bag full of cigarettes I
was thinking, ‘Aha, you can't get me now because Poland is in the EU'.
They asked me if I had anything to declare and I said no. But then
they told me I could only bring in 200 cigarettes or pay the duty on
the rest.
"They admitted that it was news to them until last month," Mr Sleeman,
a quality assurance engineer from Lymington, Hampshire, said.
A spokesman for Customs and Excise confirmed that the six new members
did not meet minimum duty standards set by the EU. He said Poland had
until December 2008 to meet the standard. "There are plenty of posters
and leaflets at airports and ports telling passengers that they will
have to pay the extra duty," he said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...097576,00.html
Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
By Ian Evans
WHEN Robert Sleeman walked through Heathrow Customs with 3,600
cigarettes, he thought it was a triumph for the new enlarged EU.
Returning from Poland he had paid just £200 for the cigarettes —
saving nearly £700 compared with British prices.
But what Mr Sleeman did not realise was that when the EU enlarged, so
did the red tape. Poland was not obeying EU customs regulations which
dictate the level of duty member nations must impose on tobacco
products if citizens are to enjoy lower duty shopping.
So when thousands of smokers arrive from Poland — and Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia — they are allowed to bring in only
200 cigarettes for their own use or pay the extra duty.
"I could not believe it, I was seething," Mr Sleeman said. "When these
countries joined the EU, I thought we were supposed to benefit from
cheaper goods like cigarettes and alcohol. But no, it's just more
silly rules which end up costing people more money."
Mr Sleeman, 39, said Customs and Excise staff were waiting for him.
"There was no warning in Warsaw about this, and nothing in Britain.
When I walked through Customs with my carrier bag full of cigarettes I
was thinking, ‘Aha, you can't get me now because Poland is in the EU'.
They asked me if I had anything to declare and I said no. But then
they told me I could only bring in 200 cigarettes or pay the duty on
the rest.
"They admitted that it was news to them until last month," Mr Sleeman,
a quality assurance engineer from Lymington, Hampshire, said.
A spokesman for Customs and Excise confirmed that the six new members
did not meet minimum duty standards set by the EU. He said Poland had
until December 2008 to meet the standard. "There are plenty of posters
and leaflets at airports and ports telling passengers that they will
have to pay the extra duty," he said.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...097576,00.html
May 5th 2004, 1:03 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
"Sufaud" wrote
| But what Mr Sleeman did not realise was that when the EU enlarged,
| so did the red tape. Poland was not obeying EU customs regulations
| which dictate the level of duty member nations must impose on
| tobacco products if citizens are to enjoy lower duty shopping.
| ... "They admitted that it was news to them until last month,"
Poland wasn't in the EU last month. But there was a press release on 1
April.
http://www.hmce.gov.uk/news/nat-nr-1304.htm
| A spokesman for Customs and Excise confirmed that the six new members
| did not meet minimum duty standards set by the EU. He said Poland had
| until December 2008 to meet the standard. "There are plenty of posters
| and leaflets at airports and ports telling passengers that they will
| have to pay the extra duty," he said.
| http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...097576,00.html
Customs and Excise website:
http://www.hmce.gov.uk/business/impo...ue-tobacco.htm
Owain
| But what Mr Sleeman did not realise was that when the EU enlarged,
| so did the red tape. Poland was not obeying EU customs regulations
| which dictate the level of duty member nations must impose on
| tobacco products if citizens are to enjoy lower duty shopping.
| ... "They admitted that it was news to them until last month,"
Poland wasn't in the EU last month. But there was a press release on 1
April.
http://www.hmce.gov.uk/news/nat-nr-1304.htm
| A spokesman for Customs and Excise confirmed that the six new members
| did not meet minimum duty standards set by the EU. He said Poland had
| until December 2008 to meet the standard. "There are plenty of posters
| and leaflets at airports and ports telling passengers that they will
| have to pay the extra duty," he said.
| http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...097576,00.html
Customs and Excise website:
http://www.hmce.gov.uk/business/impo...ue-tobacco.htm
Owain
May 10th 2004, 12:54 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
OOOps - guilty !! (but only 1,000 cigs)
Now who says that the nation states within the EU can maintain control over
there own taxation ?
I honestly didnt see any signs at Prague Airport, or Gatwick on my return
http://www.hmce.gov.uk/business/impo...ue-tobacco.htm
"Sufaud" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> May 04, 2004
> Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
> By Ian Evans
> WHEN Robert Sleeman walked through Heathrow Customs with 3,600
> cigarettes, he thought it was a triumph for the new enlarged EU.
> Returning from Poland he had paid just £200 for the cigarettes -
> saving nearly £700 compared with British prices.
> But what Mr Sleeman did not realise was that when the EU enlarged, so
> did the red tape. Poland was not obeying EU customs regulations which
> dictate the level of duty member nations must impose on tobacco
> products if citizens are to enjoy lower duty shopping.
> So when thousands of smokers arrive from Poland - and Hungary, Latvia,
> Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia - they are allowed to bring in only
> 200 cigarettes for their own use or pay the extra duty.
> "I could not believe it, I was seething," Mr Sleeman said. "When these
> countries joined the EU, I thought we were supposed to benefit from
> cheaper goods like cigarettes and alcohol. But no, it's just more
> silly rules which end up costing people more money."
> Mr Sleeman, 39, said Customs and Excise staff were waiting for him.
> "There was no warning in Warsaw about this, and nothing in Britain.
> When I walked through Customs with my carrier bag full of cigarettes I
> was thinking, 'Aha, you can't get me now because Poland is in the EU'.
> They asked me if I had anything to declare and I said no. But then
> they told me I could only bring in 200 cigarettes or pay the duty on
> the rest.
> "They admitted that it was news to them until last month," Mr Sleeman,
> a quality assurance engineer from Lymington, Hampshire, said.
> A spokesman for Customs and Excise confirmed that the six new members
> did not meet minimum duty standards set by the EU. He said Poland had
> until December 2008 to meet the standard. "There are plenty of posters
> and leaflets at airports and ports telling passengers that they will
> have to pay the extra duty," he said.
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...097576,00.html
Now who says that the nation states within the EU can maintain control over
there own taxation ?
I honestly didnt see any signs at Prague Airport, or Gatwick on my return
http://www.hmce.gov.uk/business/impo...ue-tobacco.htm
"Sufaud" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> May 04, 2004
> Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
> By Ian Evans
> WHEN Robert Sleeman walked through Heathrow Customs with 3,600
> cigarettes, he thought it was a triumph for the new enlarged EU.
> Returning from Poland he had paid just £200 for the cigarettes -
> saving nearly £700 compared with British prices.
> But what Mr Sleeman did not realise was that when the EU enlarged, so
> did the red tape. Poland was not obeying EU customs regulations which
> dictate the level of duty member nations must impose on tobacco
> products if citizens are to enjoy lower duty shopping.
> So when thousands of smokers arrive from Poland - and Hungary, Latvia,
> Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia - they are allowed to bring in only
> 200 cigarettes for their own use or pay the extra duty.
> "I could not believe it, I was seething," Mr Sleeman said. "When these
> countries joined the EU, I thought we were supposed to benefit from
> cheaper goods like cigarettes and alcohol. But no, it's just more
> silly rules which end up costing people more money."
> Mr Sleeman, 39, said Customs and Excise staff were waiting for him.
> "There was no warning in Warsaw about this, and nothing in Britain.
> When I walked through Customs with my carrier bag full of cigarettes I
> was thinking, 'Aha, you can't get me now because Poland is in the EU'.
> They asked me if I had anything to declare and I said no. But then
> they told me I could only bring in 200 cigarettes or pay the duty on
> the rest.
> "They admitted that it was news to them until last month," Mr Sleeman,
> a quality assurance engineer from Lymington, Hampshire, said.
> A spokesman for Customs and Excise confirmed that the six new members
> did not meet minimum duty standards set by the EU. He said Poland had
> until December 2008 to meet the standard. "There are plenty of posters
> and leaflets at airports and ports telling passengers that they will
> have to pay the extra duty," he said.
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...097576,00.html
May 10th 2004, 9:14 am
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
Philip
It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
Philip
May 10th 2004, 6:30 pm
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
"philip" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
> It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
> cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont think
they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the streets
again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
away places.
> Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't 'they'
simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
news:[email protected]...
> The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
> It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
> cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont think
they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the streets
again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
away places.
> Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't 'they'
simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
May 10th 2004, 8:48 pm
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
On Tue, 11 May 2004 07:30:04 +0100, "Miss L. Toe"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>"philip" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
>> It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
>> cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
>With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont think
>they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the streets
>again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
>away places.
I think taxation should remain the domain of national governments,
rather than be handled at EU level. Even I'm not that pro-Europe!
>> Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
>The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't 'they'
>simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
As long as non-smokers' rights are protected in buildings and other
enclosed spaces that function as public facilities, why not let
smokers choose what they do with their own lifes? (I am a non-smoker).
--==++AJC++==--
<[email protected]> wrote:
>"philip" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
>> It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
>> cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
>With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont think
>they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the streets
>again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
>away places.
I think taxation should remain the domain of national governments,
rather than be handled at EU level. Even I'm not that pro-Europe!
>> Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
>The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't 'they'
>simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
As long as non-smokers' rights are protected in buildings and other
enclosed spaces that function as public facilities, why not let
smokers choose what they do with their own lifes? (I am a non-smoker).
--==++AJC++==--
May 10th 2004, 9:34 pm
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
On Tue, 11 May 2004 07:30:04 +0100, "Miss L. Toe"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>"philip" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
>> It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
>> cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
>With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont think
>they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the streets
>again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
>away places.
>> Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
>The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't 'they'
>simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
You really would ban it , if you had to watch a close one who smoked
20 /30 a day, suddenly feel ill, and ten days later is dead. The
lungs were black and slime with tar both, and a huge cancer grown
between the two, it was almost impossible for the person to get the
lungs to breathe, and that was at the younger age of 47!
<[email protected]> wrote:
>"philip" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
>> It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
>> cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
>With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont think
>they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the streets
>again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
>away places.
>> Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
>The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't 'they'
>simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
You really would ban it , if you had to watch a close one who smoked
20 /30 a day, suddenly feel ill, and ten days later is dead. The
lungs were black and slime with tar both, and a huge cancer grown
between the two, it was almost impossible for the person to get the
lungs to breathe, and that was at the younger age of 47!
May 10th 2004, 9:57 pm
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
Miss L. Toe wrote:
> "philip" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
>>It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
>>cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
>
>
> With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont think
> they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the streets
> again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
> away places.
>
>
>>Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
>
>
> The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't 'they'
> simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
>
>
As we can see from the current drugs laws, prohibition generally doesn't
work and leads to crime. And in what we like to think of as an open and
free society, making things illegal is something we surerly want to
discourage.
But bear in mind that smoking is one of the very few forms of social
behavior that hurts other people when you're doing it. So it needs some
regulation, if only to protect others.
Philip
> "philip" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
>>It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
>>cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
>
>
> With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont think
> they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the streets
> again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
> away places.
>
>
>>Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
>
>
> The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't 'they'
> simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
>
>
As we can see from the current drugs laws, prohibition generally doesn't
work and leads to crime. And in what we like to think of as an open and
free society, making things illegal is something we surerly want to
discourage.
But bear in mind that smoking is one of the very few forms of social
behavior that hurts other people when you're doing it. So it needs some
regulation, if only to protect others.
Philip
May 10th 2004, 10:28 pm
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
"Martin WY" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news
[email protected]...
> On Tue, 11 May 2004 07:30:04 +0100, "Miss L. Toe"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >"philip" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
> >> The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
> >>
> >> It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
> >> cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
> >>
> >
> >With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont
think
> >they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the
streets
> >again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
> >away places.
> >
> >> Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
> >>
> >
> >The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't
'they'
> >simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
> >
> You really would ban it , if you had to watch a close one who smoked
> 20 /30 a day, suddenly feel ill, and ten days later is dead. The
> lungs were black and slime with tar both, and a huge cancer grown
> between the two, it was almost impossible for the person to get the
> lungs to breathe, and that was at the younger age of 47!
It could esaily and painlessly be banned by raising the age limit by one
year every year. So current addicts could still feed their habit and (in
theory) no new addicts would be created.
(But what would happend to other taxes?)
news
[email protected]...> On Tue, 11 May 2004 07:30:04 +0100, "Miss L. Toe"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >"philip" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...
> >> The real question is why there is any cigarette concession at all.
> >>
> >> It's high time the EU imposed and enforced a standard level of tax on
> >> cigarettes, preferably around GBP 5 per pack of 20.
> >>
> >
> >With average income in the czech republic of 200GBP per month I dont
think
> >they would be very happy with 5GBP per pack. They would take to the
streets
> >again probably protesting against strict imposition of rules made in far
> >away places.
> >
> >> Smoking is, after all, a dying habit.
> >>
> >
> >The real question is, if it really is as bad as they say, why don't
'they'
> >simply ban it totally ? (I am a smoker).
> >
> You really would ban it , if you had to watch a close one who smoked
> 20 /30 a day, suddenly feel ill, and ten days later is dead. The
> lungs were black and slime with tar both, and a huge cancer grown
> between the two, it was almost impossible for the person to get the
> lungs to breathe, and that was at the younger age of 47!
It could esaily and painlessly be banned by raising the age limit by one
year every year. So current addicts could still feed their habit and (in
theory) no new addicts would be created.
(But what would happend to other taxes?)
May 10th 2004, 10:46 pm
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
"Miss L. Toe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It could esaily and painlessly be banned by raising the age limit by one
> year every year. So current addicts could still feed their habit and (in
> theory) no new addicts would be created.
> (But what would happend to other taxes?)
Banning crack ,pot and heroin hasnt made the problem
go away and I dont recall prohibition working too well.
Keith
news:[email protected]...
> It could esaily and painlessly be banned by raising the age limit by one
> year every year. So current addicts could still feed their habit and (in
> theory) no new addicts would be created.
> (But what would happend to other taxes?)
Banning crack ,pot and heroin hasnt made the problem
go away and I dont recall prohibition working too well.
Keith
May 11th 2004, 5:08 am
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Lon Times: Cheap tobacco plan up in smoke
Keith Willshaw <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Miss L. Toe" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> It could esaily and painlessly be banned by raising the age limit by one
>> year every year. So current addicts could still feed their habit and (in
>> theory) no new addicts would be created.
>> (But what would happend to other taxes?)
> Banning crack ,pot and heroin hasnt made the problem
> go away and I dont recall prohibition working too well.
But cigarette smokers serve their habit all the time around the clock.
Forcing them to go underground would at least put them in the position of
having to make a choice to skulk off somewhere every time they wanted one.
miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
> "Miss L. Toe" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> It could esaily and painlessly be banned by raising the age limit by one
>> year every year. So current addicts could still feed their habit and (in
>> theory) no new addicts would be created.
>> (But what would happend to other taxes?)
> Banning crack ,pot and heroin hasnt made the problem
> go away and I dont recall prohibition working too well.
But cigarette smokers serve their habit all the time around the clock.
Forcing them to go underground would at least put them in the position of
having to make a choice to skulk off somewhere every time they wanted one.
miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
