France seeks EU-wide price hike on cigarettes and tobacco products

FRANCE wants an increase in the price of cigarettes and tobacco products across the EU to discourage people shopping cross-border for cheaper rates.

The French present a paper on the issue to the finance ministers’ meeting in Brussels today and will suggest a minimum excise rate.

But the European Commission threw cold water on the proposal, saying ministers are unlikely to agree to a new increased minimum, since the last one agreed will not come fully into effect until 2006.