Nicotine and tobacco have moved high on the agenda in the Danish Parliament. At the first meetings in the autumn, the Danish Democrats and Liberal Alliance took the opportunity to press the government for answers about its line on nicotine policy - not least in light of the upcoming negotiations in both the EU and WHO.
Dispute over new EU taxes
The European Commission has proposed new minimum taxes on nicotine products throughout the Union. The proposal has caused disagreement between member states, both on harm reduction and on how much power the Commission should have.
In particular, the Commission's desire to receive 15 per cent of the countries' nicotine taxes as own resources has led several EU countries to threaten to block the entire budget. The Danish government has so far kept a low profile - partly due to its EU Presidency - but this prompted Steffen W. Frølund (LA) to react.
He asked Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen (S) explain the government's position:
'What is the government's position on the European Commission's proposal to increase its budget through more "own resources", so that the Commission gets a share of certain excise duties otherwise collected by nation states?
Frølund also demanded clarity on how much more expensive nicotine products will be for Danish consumers if the EU plan is adopted. He asked Tax Minister Rasmus Stoklund (S) The details.
"How much should taxes and average prices on tobacco and nicotine products in Denmark increase - category by category - if the EU adopts the European Commission's proposal for a revised Tobacco Taxation Directive, including an extension to new product categories?"
Harm reduction under pressure
A key part of the debate is about harm reduction. Cigarettes are still the most common source of nicotine in Europe, but smokeless alternatives such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are rapidly gaining ground. Several international health authorities believe they may be far less harmful than traditional cigarettes.
Nevertheless, the European Commission wants to use higher taxes to reduce the incentive for smokers to switch to smoke-free products. This is in contrast to recommendations from researchers and health institutions that see smokeless alternatives as part of the solution to tobacco mortality.
In Denmark, it is the Minister of the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde (V)who represents the government in the case. She was also met with questions from Steffen W. Frølund:
"Does the Minister believe that a revised Tobacco Taxation Directive should aim to prevent adult smokers from substituting from cigarettes to smokeless tobacco and nicotine products?"
Response expected by the end of September
Finance Minister Nicolai Wammen and Health Minister Sophie Løhde have until 26 September to respond to the Danish Parliament on the critical questions.
