The EU has launched a public consultation that could make it more expensive for holidaymakers to purchase and import tobacco products, reports the Independent.

Currently, excise taxes on cigarettes and alcohol are only paid in the country in which the product is bought with no further taxes being levied at home. The EU has no raised the fact in a public consultation suggesting, holidaymakers should pay excise duties at home rates instead.
This could affect Irish holidaymakers in particular, as it is one of the most expensive places in the EU to purchase cigarettes and alcohol due to high taxes. According to the Independent, the EU fears many people are taking advantage of low duties in other countries, which not only means their home governments are missing out on taxes but also poses a risk to public health.
The EU is also looking to lower limits on the amount of cigarettes and alcohol allowed to be brought back from other EU countries for personal use. Because of Brexit, the new rules would also apply to cigarette shopping trips to Northern Ireland.
“For both alcohol and tobacco products, the misuse of cross-border shopping rules for private individuals is a source of concern for several EU countries due to lost revenues and the negative impact on the effectiveness of national public health policies,” the European Commission said in the consultation.