Movendi International
Movendi International’s vision is a life for all human beings free to live up to their fullest potential, and free from harm caused by alcohol and other drugs.
ID: 100748931218-91
Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Sara Cerdas (Member of the European Parliament)
26 Oct 2023 · Reunião com OMS, Eurocare e Movendi
Meeting with Nikos Papandreou (Member of the European Parliament)
11 Oct 2023 · Meeting
Response to Cross-border acquisitions of excise goods by private individuals
5 Jan 2021
Movendi International Submission
Movendi International is the largest independent global social movement for development through alcohol prevention. We unite, strengthen, and empower civil society to tackle alcohol as a serious obstacle to development on personal, community, societal, and global level.
We are grateful for the opportunity to provide feedback to the Inception Impact Assessment on cross-border purchases of alcohol and tobacco.
Key points: Feedback to Inception Impact Assessments on Cross-border purchases of alcohol, tobacc
On the problems of the current rules:
• The Inception Impact Assessment correctly identifies the main problems with existing rules. Distortion of public revenue, excise fraud, and negative pressure on excise duties rules all contribute to worsening public health outcomes. Revising these rules is a triple win for the European Union: It will improve health outcomes, substantially contribute to domestic resource mobilization as well as help combat organised crime and fraud.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the fiscal distortions and negative health effects of cross-border trade of alcohol and tobacco. With closed borders, some member states have noted sharp increases in alcohol or tobacco excise duty income whilst reports indicate total consumption in the countries remains stable, or even, in some cases, is decreasing.
Health perspectives are needed in the process:
• It is commendable that the initiative is connected to the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan. Alcohol and tobacco taxation are some of the most cost-effective, scientifically unimpeachable policy instruments for preventing and reducing alcohol and tobacco harm, including cancers, and thereby considerably improving public health in general as well as health system functioning and resilience.
• This is a tax question with a direct impact on health outcomes, not least cancer prevalence, and it is crucial that health perspectives and health considerations are present and actively mainstreamed throughout the legislative process.
• The Global Burden of Disease study recently showed that alcohol is the largest risk factor for disease burden in the age group 25-49 years and that alcohol is the second fasted growing risk factor for disease burden in high income countries. Landmark scientific studies, such as the GBD 2019 study, clearly show that alcohol and tobacco prevention are a public health priority and that alcohol and tobacco prevention has significant implications for economic productivity as well as sustainable development.
On the policy options:
• The main policy options identified in the Inception Impact Assessment provide a solid foundation for the process of revising tax rules for cross-border purchases for alcohol and tobacco
• It is important that the change of guide levels to concrete and easily enforceable limits (quantitative limits) is included within the scope of the policy option “revised and adjust the guide levels”.
• The Inception Impact Assessment correctly recognises that quantitative limits are already in place for cross-border purchases of fuels (mineral oils). That system appears as proportional, generally well-functioning and easy for citizens to understand. Many countries have also expressed a desire for similar rules to apply to alcohol and tobacco.
• It is important that different combinations of the identified policy options are considered. The problems with the current rules are multi-layered and challenges differ slightly between countries. The best final policy option is most likely a combination of different policy changes.
• It is important to take enforcement into account when looking into the proportionality of policy options. Easily enforceable rules contribute to adherence, reduce legal fragmentation and reduce administrative burdens. It is therefore possible for restrictive rules to be more proportional than targeted ones, if these targeted rules are difficult to enforce.
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