Luxembourg, 12/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Ecofin Council is calling on the Commission to produce a legislative proposal to adjust minimum rates of excise duty on alcoholic drinks as a way of dealing with inflation. In a common declaration, Cyprus, Latvia and Lithuania said that transition periods had to be included to achieve this goal. According to the Council's conclusions, most of the Member States consider that a convergence of rates would reduce competition distortion and fraud, although there are reservations about the level of convergence. Twelve Member States are “strongly opposed” to any proposal to set up minimum positive rates on wine (EUROPE will return to this theme).