EU Fails to Agree on Tobacco Tax Overhaul as Sweden Holds Out

EU envoys are deadlocked on a broad revision of tobacco excise taxes across the bloc, an official said late Wednesday, leaving the future of the bill unclear.

“Regrettably, despite our efforts during the past months, it was not possible at this stage to reach consensus on this important file,” said a spokesperson for Cyprus, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency and is responsible for shepherding the bill through the EU’s legislative process.

The bill would have more than doubled the minimum tax rate on cigarettes across the bloc and added taxes on a range of new tobacco-related products including e-cigarettes ...