The EU has decided to set minimum levels of tax on alchololic drinks and no prize for guessing which way that will move prices for consumers. We have been saying that EU tax ‘harmonisation’ only ever moves up and this is a case in point.
The European Commission argues that the proposals should be good for health, limit tax fraud and reduce wide differentials in rates, which have caused an increased cross border smuggling.
But why not reduce taxes downwards for everyone? Help consumer, retailers and producers? Oh, silly me. This is Europe we are talking about, what was I thinking?
