The president of the federation of tobacco retailers (CEDT) said display bans, plain packaging, oversized health warnings and bans on ingredients would result in a loss of up to EUR 20 billion in European tax revenue.

Representatives working group meeting organised by CEDT in Brussels last week said that smugglers and counterfeit manufacturers would increase their already burgeoning activity as a result of plain packaging.
They critizised plain packaging and claimed that the Commission's health officials were not listening to industry or retailers on the issue. Plain packaging is one of the key areas of concern as the European Commission reviews its 2001 Tobacco Products Directive. The review is scheduled for early next year.
EU Health Commission's John Dalli is preparing his own impact assessment of policy options in advance of the this review. A spokeswoman for Dalli said that the Commission has not yet made up its mind on plain packaging, but added that it was following the Australian development "carefully and with interest". (pi)