Italy Urges EU to Lower Taxes on Heated Tobacco Products

The Italian government is demanding that the European Commission apply “proper and accurate classification” of heated tobacco products to ensure they are taxed at a much lower rate than cigarettes in any future legislation.

In a letter seen by Bloomberg, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote to the commission’s tax chief Wopke Hoekstra that the EU should adopt a model like Italy’s which applies “a significant tax differential” on combustion-free products compared to traditional tobacco products like cigarettes.

Italy is willing “to engage in a productive dialogue” on tobacco taxation, the letter says, and wants “to ensure ...