Lengthy coalition talks could prompt Stockholm to abstain, clearing path to agreement
A meeting of EU diplomats on 14 September is expected to make little headway on revising the Tobacco Excise Directive (TED), with Sweden voting in national elections just one day earlier, diplomats told Euractiv.
Polls point to coalition negotiations after the election, potentially leaving Sweden unable to compromise at EU level while a new government is taking shape. A Swedish EU official told Euractiv not to expect a clear position from Stockholm at the first EU meeting after the vote.
Prolonged coalition talks could complicate efforts by Ireland, which currently holds the rotating Council presidency, to secure an agreement in October. They could also force Stockholm to abstain in a crucial vote on the TED, which could take place at an ECOFIN meeting on 9 October.
At stake is one the EU’s most complex and controversial files. The proposed tobacco tax hikes would also feed into Brussels’ next long-term budget, which aims to raise €11.2 billion annually from national tobacco tax revenues.
