Parliamentary parties ready for alcohol tax hike

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All Parliamentary parties in Finland have expressed their readiness to raise the tax on alcohol during the next legislative period.
      According to an enquiry by the economic daily Taloussanomat, all the Parliamentary parties agree that taxation of liquor should be toughened again in order to keep the ill-effects of alcohol consumption in check.
      The taxes on alcohol were reduced at the beginning of March 2004, with the duty payable on strong spirits - carrying the heaviest taxation - going down the most, by some 44 per cent. As a result the price of a 70 cl bottle of Koskenkorva grain spirits, which previously cost EUR 14.35, went down to just EUR 9.20. There was much discussion at the time over the wisdom of reducing taxation on spirits in this way, and also fears that the cuts in taxes would lead to increased consumption and ill-effects.
      The newspaper sent its questionnaire to the party offices.
     
The Green League, the Swedish People's Party, the Christian Democrats, and the True Finns would all steer consumption towards mild alcoholic beverages by raising the tax on strong spirits.
      The Centre Party would rather see a moderate raise on tax on alcohol, in order to control the importing of drinks by tourists plus the black market trading. The Social Democratic Party refrains from breaking down the tax hike details.
      According to a poll commissioned by the Aamulehti daily a couple of weeks ago, more than half of the Finns oppose the raising of tax on alcohol.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Warning labels coming on containers of alcoholic beverages (7.2.2007)
  Little support for quick rise in alcohol tax - liquor tourism to Estonia eases somewhat (10.8.2004)

Helsingin Sanomat