WRITTEN QUESTION E-1344/01

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(4 May 2001)

Subject: Trade in cigarettes

The Commission's legal action against two American tobacco manufacturers has placed the import and export of cigarettes back in the centre of attention. The extent of the trade in (and smuggling of) cigarettes is not clear.

In its reply to Question E-3720/00(1) of 3 November 2000 the Commission stated on 18 January that it is collecting the information it needs to answer the question. It should disclose the results of its investigation as soon as possible.

I should therefore be glad if the Commission would answer the following questions:

1. How many cigarettes were confiscated in the various EU Member States in 1997, 1998 and 1999?

2. Which were the five most confiscated brands of cigarettes in the EU, in order of importance, in 1997, 1998 and 1999?

3. Which Member States exported cigarettes to Cyprus in 1997-1999 (data broken down by year, Member State and number of cigarettes)?

4. Which Member States exported cigarettes to Yugoslavia in 1997-1999 (data broken down by year, Member State and number of cigarettes)?

5. From which countries were cigarettes imported into the EU in 1997-1999 through the port of Antwerp? (data broken down by year, Member State and number of cigarettes)?

6. To which countries outside the EU were cigarettes exported from the Belgian Federation in 1997-1999? (data broken down by year, Member State and number of cigarettes)?

(1) OJ C 151 E, 22.5.2001, p. 204.

Supplementary joint answer to Written Questions E-3720/00 and E-1344/01 given by Mrs Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(22 May 2001)

The Commission would first point out, on the basis of the available statistics which are not binding on it that:

- several billion cigarettes are seized each year;

- from 1997 to 1999, Italy appears in each of these years to be the Member State with the highest number of cigarettes seized (in 1999, almost 35 % of the total of cigarettes seized within the Community);

- between 1997 and 1999, the increase in the number of cigarettes seized within the Community is 215 %. However, the importance of this global increase varies in the different Member States. During this short period, Belgium had a rate of increase of 2 701 %, followed by the Netherlands (1 899 %) and Finland (1 570 %).

Amongst the brands of cigarettes produced in the Member States, the highest number of cigarettes seized in 1999 was, by order of importance, Regal, Superkings, West and Benson & Hedges. Amongst the brands of cigarettes produced outside the European Community, the highest number of cigarettes seized, also in 1999, was Marlboro.

Finally, the Commission would underline the fact that Antwerp is one of the biggest ports handling consignments of cigarettes in the world.

In view of the size of the figures produced to answer more specific questions linked to cigarettes exports, the Commission is sending them direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament's Secretariat. These figures obtained through databases may not be exhaustive and should not be interpreted as binding on the Commission.