Brussels, 12/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - Without debate on Tuesday, the ECOFIN Council adopted the directive harmonising excise duty on tobacco, ignoring the amendments adopted by the European Parliament (in its purely consultative role) in its opinion of 5 February 2002 (see EUROPE of 6 February, p.6). This means that the ministers formally endorsed the text that was drafted by the 6 November ECOFIN Council.
The minimum excise duty for cigarettes had been set at EUR 60 per thousand...