TMA news
TMA notice on Lower Ignition Propensity (LIP) cigarettesUnder new EU safety standards all cigarettes placed in the market from 17 November 2011…
TMA responds to the planned consultation on plain packagingResponding to the Government’s proposal to launch a consultation on plain packaging in Spring 2012,…
Submission to the Treasury Sub-Committee. Excise Duty Fraud
Our submission to the Treasury Sub-committee following their call for evidence as part of their inquiry into excise duty fraud. It argues that the Government needs to reduce tobacco taxes in order to reduce the level of non-UK duty paid consumption, despite the measure of success that the Tackling Tobacco Smuggling (TTS) has delivered in reducing the growth in the level of smuggling.
It points out that the UK’s high prices creates a demand for cheap products which can be satisfied either through crossborder shopping or the black market. The sheer amount of travel into the UK means that HMC&E faces a mammoth task in identifying and haltling tobacco smuggling and when coupled with issues of citizens’ freedom to movement there are problems with enforcement.