Swedish government seeks end to EC snus ban

[darkwing]

From TMC News:
Swedish Match welcomes an important step to normalize trade in the EU

(Cision (English) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Swedish Match welcomes an important step to normalize trade in the EU

Swedish Match welcomes the government?s decision today to start a process aimed at ultimately lifting the ban on the export of Swedish snus to consumers within the European Union.

?The government?s move is an important first step towards the normalization of Sweden?s trade relationship with the rest of the E.U. Swedish Match looks forward to the current ban being replaced by clear product regulation that would allow us to compete with our quality products on the same conditions as other Swedish companies,? said Patrik Hildingsson, Vice President Public Affairs at Swedish Match. He was commenting on the decision by the Swedish Government to ask the EU Commission for a review of the export ban on Swedish snus in the EU.

?The export ban on snus has always been difficult to justify. For Swedish Match, Sweden?s membership of the EU has effectively shut the doors to neighbouring markets, contradicting the founding principles of the EU to open up for increased trade. Regulations banning the export of traditional products do not belong in a union founded on free trade,? Patrik Hildingsson said.

In the interests of Swedish trade, the government?s call on the Commission is in principle important, but there is a risk that a review of existing regulations will be a drawn out process. Swedish Match urges the Swedish government to actively pursue a phasing out of the export ban, and the Trade Minister?s letter is a welcome first step.

Swedish Match is a global Group with a broad offering of market-leading brands in smokefree tobacco products, cigars, pipe tobacco and lights products. The Group?s global operations generated sales of 13,061 MSEK for the twelve month period ending September 30, 2008. The Swedish Match share is listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm (SWMA).

Swedish Match AB (publ), SE-118 85 Stockholm Visiting address: Rosenlundsgatan 36, Telephone: +46 8 658 02 00 Corporate Identity Number: 556015-0756 www.swedishmatch.com ____________

For further information, please contact:

Patrik Hildingsson, Vice President Group Public Affairs, Swedish Match Tel: +46 ? 8 ? 658 04 02, Mobil: +46 ? 76-819 38 70 E-post: patrik.hildingsson@swedishmatch.com

Henrik Olsson, Director Public Affairs North Europe Group Tel: +46 ? 8 ? 658 02 02, Mobil: +46 ? 70-577 40 39 E-post: henrik.olsson@swedishmatch.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.comThe following files are available for download:http://wpy.waymaker.net/client/wayma...spx?id=1016578
&fn=wkr0003.pdf

Copyright ? 2008 Cision. All Rights Reserved.

[darkwing]

From Sveriges Radio international:

Sweden Wants EU ”Snus” Ban Lifted

Wet snuff has been banned in all countries in the EU apart from SwedenSweden’s Trade Minister wants the EU to lift its ban on the export of Swedish Snus to the rest of the EU. Snus is moist tobacco snuff that many Swedes put under their top lips instead of smoking, but because of health worries is banned in the rest of the EU.

But Trade Minister Eva Björling says that the ban is discriminatory because cigarettes, cigars and chewable tobacco are not covered by it.

Writing in the tabloid ”Aftonbladet”, she says the ban on Swedish Snus is just as unfair as any ban on Danish Ham or French Wine would be, as snus is a purely Swedish product. She says she has now written to the EU trade commissioner, Charlie McCreevy, and asked him to look at the issue.

Sweden had to negotiate a special deal to allow the use of snus when it joined the EU in the 90’s. There are fears it can cause cancer, but there is no scientific consensus on the issue.

[holnrew]

I hope it works!

[mwood72]

Guess it would be cool to be able to buy Snus at your local supermarket outside of Sweden but knowing the British government they would tax it to the hilt and put those nasty pictures they put on cigarettes on it!

An interesting one would be if the NHS adopted it as an effective way to get hard core nicotine addicts off cigarettes. Snus on the NHS would be great

[MN_Snuser]

Here's to the snus revolution. Good luck to the EU. Next stop North America?

[holnrew]

Guess it would be cool to be able to buy Snus at your local supermarket outside of Sweden but knowing the British government they would tax it to the hilt and put those nasty pictures they put on cigarettes on it!

An interesting one would be if the NHS adopted it as an effective way to get hard core nicotine addicts off cigarettes. Snus on the NHS would be great

Or they might make it duty free like they have with snuff... Well I can dream!

I'm not sure it would be as expensive as buying it off a Swedish website with their high sales tax and then delivery costs on top of that.

[chainsnuser]

I don't think anything will change too soon. Politics are slow and anti-tobacco-work seems to be more vital nowadays than decisions on war or the defense of the human rights, let alone the second-rate economic interests of Sweden.

But one can dream. When snus was still legal in Germany (up to 2002), the price was DM3.50 for a can of Ettan Lös, which is around $2.25 or £1.20 or €1.75. Snus was not taxed (except for 16% VAT).

Cheers!

[Jason]

Good luck to you guys over there; I hope they finally cut you some slack. We have some dumbass laws over here, but that one just makes no sense at all with all of the dangerous things that ARE legal...

[aj01]

Swedish Match

The largest perceived problem for SM in Europe is the lack of brands. General and Ettan are as exciting as porridge. They'll resonate nowhere outside of Sweden and Norway.

The gainers from a lift of the EU ban will be BAT (Lucky Strike, Pall Mall), JTI (LD, and potentially Camel), and Philip Morris, if they can finally pull their finger out from "1847"and hire someone under 40 to craft a new product. Let's call it "Marlboro," make it real snus, and everything will be fine.

[justintempler]

aj01,
Isn't Claq Qui be a step in the right direction?