Mail Order Wine - free of high UK duty?  Add/Read Comments

Just heard on the radio that the EU Court of Justice may rule that UK shoppers may be able to buy alcohol and cigarettes from Europe over the internet but only pay local duty rates. Which means 200 cigarettes from Estonia will be seven quid rather than the £80 or what-ever it is in the UK at the moment. For the wine lover it sounds like a superb opportunity, however as John at French Duck reports there are other considerations, specifically the UK's army of small independent merchants.

BBC
"The court will decide this month if goods from EU states can be delivered to them in Britain free of UK duty. An adviser to the court has already backed the change, which could mean reduced tax income for the UK Treasury. But the Treasury, which wants the court to reject the earlier ruling, says the way it interprets duty laws is correct."