Brussels, 22/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - Internal Market Commissioner Frits Bolkestein confirmed on Thursday before the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs that the Commission will not be withdrawing its proposal on tobacco excise. During its last plenary session, the Parliament had rejected by a clear majority the proposal of directive that harmonises excise duties on manufactured tobacco upwards (see EUROPE of 16 November, p.14, on the Katiforis Report). According to consultation procedure, the Commission is not, however, legally bound by the Parliament's position and the College of Commissioners was unanimous, on Wednesday, in its confirmation that the Commission would keep its directive, the spokesperson for Commissioner Bolkestein said. Speaking before the EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Mr Bolkestein again stressed his disappointment for the vote by Parliament, recalling that the EP had taken a stance, in 1996, in favour of such a directive to combat smuggling and for public health reasons. During the plenary debate, some MEPs had rejected this argument, stressing that the parliamentary majority had changed since then. The Commission proposal was the subject of an agreement in Council (see EUROPE of 1 November, p.6).