No higher excise tax

Members of the Parliament voted to send the plans back to its Economic Affairs Committee for further discussion.

The move is another setback for the Commission in its attempt to raise minimum
beer and spirits duties by 31 per cent to bring them in line with inflation.
The current rate is more than 13 years old. Both the Commission and member
states with above average duty rates on alcohol,
such as the UK, have argued that raising minimum rates may help to prevent
fraud.