Oh dear: Gordon might have a slight hole in his 5yr plan.

[Joe Black]

"The European Court of Justice is expected to rule next week that goods can be bought in other EU states and delivered to the door while only the duty levied in the country of origin is paid. This is often a fraction of that charged in Britain."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...12/nduty12.xml

If this ruling is made then it might not be just the duty on drinks and tobacco that dear GB might lose.

[AtW]

About time taxation was harmonised across EU with only few % plus/minus leeway allowed for national Govts.

Any politician that proposes higher taxes than that should face minimum 10 years prison sentence in triple max security institution.

[Troll]

So I could resurrect PLUTO and pipe diesel in from France?

[Troll]

The Treasury earns £15 billion a year from excise duty on alcohol and cigarettes — enough to pay the running costs of the Home Office, the Foreign Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

It gets better... who would miss these feck wits?

[mcquiggd]

Im sure El Gordo will simply shuffle the taxation elsewhere. Maybe this is the real reason they have been bugging people's rubbish bins - the next green tax will be on goods bought abroad 'due to carbon emissions during transportation'.

They won't tax you for importing a case of wine, but disposing of it's packaging will set you back £25, thank you very much.


P.S

'Jeremy Beadle, the chief executive of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, said the case could have a serious impact. "The key disincentive until now has been that you have to travel with the goods."'


It must be the same Jeremy Beadle - only he would point out the obvious like an idiot.

[shaunbhoy]

About time this legalised governmental theft was challenged in court. If I give my mate £20 to bring me back a crate of beer from Tesco's, nobody bats an eyelid. If I give him the same amount to bring me back beer from his trip to Belgium, suddenly we are smugglers?? What happened to the free market?

Grrrrrrr!!!

[Lucifer Box]

About time this legalised governmental theft was challenged in court. If I give my mate £20 to bring me back a crate of beer from Tesco's, nobody bats an eyelid. If I give him the same amount to bring me back beer from his trip to Belgium, suddenly we are smugglers?? What happened to the free market?

Grrrrrrr!!!

Tax evading scum like you should be beheaded. It's only fair.

On a thinking note, assuming this £15bn source of revenue largely dries up as a result, which taxes do you think should be increased to compensate for the loss in revenue? As an ex-smoker, I am more than happy for people with a gasper habit to subsidise me. In fact, I would go so far as to encourage teenage smoking campaigns.

[expat]

About time this legalised governmental theft was challenged in court. If I give my mate £20 to bring me back a crate of beer from Tesco's, nobody bats an eyelid. If I give him the same amount to bring me back beer from his trip to Belgium, suddenly we are smugglers?? What happened to the free market?

Grrrrrrr!!!

Brown doesn't believe in it. His limit on bringing stuff in without paying him duty on it would be 0. Only EU rules scupper him in that, but just wait....

Speaking of limits, why is everyone treated the same? Someone living in Folkestone, who can pop across every Saturday on a day return, has the same notional limit as someone living in Newcastle or Glasgow, who may only drive to France every couple of years. My wine consumption between trips to France will routinely be several hundred litres - and the EC says that I have a right to shop cross-border.

[Dundeegeorge]

Zips up flameproof suit

Well I think they should tax burqas and veils.

(runs for hills)

[Churchill]

We'll just end up with a local sales tax in addition to VAT.