Brussels, 24/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 24 September, the European Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Greece, asking it to modify its excise regimes applicable to two specific alcoholic drinks, Tsipouro and Tsikoudià. Currently, Greece applies a rate corresponding to 50% of the normal excise rate in force for ethyl alcohol and a super-reduced rate to these two specific drinks (around 6% of the normal tax) when these drinks are produced in bulk by occasional (“two-day”) distillers (vine growers or producers of other agricultural products). The EU rules state that the same rate of excise must apply to all products made with ethyl alcohol and Greece holds no derogation for these two drinks. The Commission believes that the two regimes contravene EU legislation on excise and favour domestically-produced spirit drink over spirit drinks produced in other member states. This is an infringement of EU rules on the free movement of goods. (Original version in French by Élodie Lamer)