[Intl-tobacco] EU to study French bill limiting cigarettes

[robert weissman]

http://today.reuters.com/News/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=L03256529

EU to study French bill limiting cigarettes
Thu 3 Nov 2005 8:47 AM ET

BRUSSELS, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The European Commission will study whether a
French proposal to restrict how many cigarettes people can have in their
possession violates European Union rules, a spokesman for the Brussels
executive said on Thursday.

The French National Assembly lower house voted through a 2006 social
security bill on Tuesday which included measures to cut smoking and
customs fraud.

Under the bill, people would not be allowed to carry more than 10
packets of cigarettes on French soil. The French upper house will
consider the legislation from November 14.

Oliver Drewes, spokesman for EU Internal Market Commissioner Charlie
McCreevy said, the French bill would be looked at to see if it
contravenes EU rules on free movement of goods in the 25-nation internal
market.

"We are always potentially concerned when we have information of this
kind coming to our attention... We are going to look into that matter,"
Drewes told reporters.

"We have to find out if this restriction or potential restriction is
based on health claims, on tax reasons," he said.