EU Planning to re-allow the sales of snus in 2014 !

[Mordred]

Yeah, that's the one. I go there often to watch football for instance.

And yeah, you're absolutely right. We went for the quick and easy money and there is a price to pay for that.

[Jan]

It's a small world indeed! It could have been the Scott's Pub, and if it has a balcony overlooking the river then it surely was! It carries a decent selection of Belgian and British Ales (I had Dikirch Grand Reserva), which we sipped while enjoying the quiet and tranquility of the Grund.
Luxembourg is a very interesting case to looks at. As I said we have German friends who live just across Moselle in Oberbillig (Wasserbillig lies on the other bank in Luxembourg). This is the area in Germany with the lowest rate of unemployment and with the lowest tax revenues at the same time. Nearly everyone commutes for work to Luxembourg and the reason is not only the higher wages they are earning there, there is hardly any industry on the German side, only vineyards. I am getting the impression Luxembourg has made itself very attractive for international business and investment, you have lower corporate tax and VAT rates compared to all of your neighbors. Whist this is good for economy you have to accept your Luxemburgisch identity being eroded away so to speak. Or, you need to give your country a radical makeover. I don't approve of EU becoming the United States of Europe, that was not the initial aim of European project and that would never work in Europe.

[Mordred]

Funny, I live in the Grund. It's a small world after all. It was probably the Scott's Pub across the river from me.

I think that after WWII, there was so much fear of a new war that it was decided that it was better to lose the nations and cultures rather than risk another war. But what made Europe strong was it's diversity. I wish for a Europe where we live peacefully as neighbours. But that may never happen now.

As an aside, the reason why there are so many Portugese immigrants is that our government very strongly encouraged them. It was a way to achieve growth by importing cheaper labour. This had worked previously with italian immigrants when the steel industry was booming and you could make really good money if you were willing to work. Unfortunately, the steel industry was hit hard by a crisis and most of the steelworks were closed or sold. Without good jobs, many Portugese immigrants are now either jobless or working for really poor wages (by Luxembourg standards), making it hard for them to integrate into the country.

[Jan]

It's a very sad state of affairs. On saturday, we celebrated the "national" holiday here in Luxembourg. And, as I walked around, I kept a tally of how many of the people I saw were actually Luxembourg nationals, going by the language they spoke. There weren't many. 71% of people working in this country are foreigners and that's not even counting people who have adopted the luxembourgish nationality recently. We, as a nation, are simply ceasing to exist. Strange how we pump money and resources into preserving remote tribes in the rainforest, yet we work very hard to destroy our own heritage.

Good point! I was in Luxembourg last year on holiday and it became apparent to me that Luxemburgisch is not spoken by vast majority. In fact, it almost looked like French speakers have taken over completely. I tried to order myself a beer at a nice pub at Grund, I spoke German and I was not understood, I switched to English and it was not understood either. The guy in charge of the taps did not speak any other language, only French. I was surprised even more when I learned from my German friends from across river Moselle that 20% of residents in Luxembourg are Portuguese (Portugal is a neighbor country of course!!!!) and another 20% are French...
I have learned to respect every person regardless of their ethnicity and color, everybody is human. However, what European governments have failed to understand is the value of their own people and cultures. There is only one Luxembourg, there is only one Sweden and one France. Would Europe or the world become richer (in terms of diversity and culture) If these cultures ceased to exist???

[Mordred]

Germany demanding that Europeans hand over more sovereign powers amongst other things. That's a terrible terrible thing to contemplate given history.

That was the plan all along. European "integration" is nothing more than newspeak for centralizing power and dismantling the nation states. The EU is doing what Napoleon and Hitler failed to do: govern all of Europe. Our ancestors fought and gave their lives to retain independence and we now throw it away. It's a very sad state of affairs. On saturday, we celebrated the "national" holiday here in Luxembourg. And, as I walked around, I kept a tally of how many of the people I saw were actually Luxembourg nationals, going by the language they spoke. There weren't many. 71% of people working in this country are foreigners and that's not even counting people who have adopted the luxembourgish nationality recently. We, as a nation, are simply ceasing to exist. Strange how we pump money and resources into preserving remote tribes in the rainforest, yet we work very hard to destroy our own heritage.

Edit: Just to clarify, I have no problem with any of those people living here, most of them work hard, pay their taxes etc. It's just meant as an illustration of how nations are being eroded inside the EU.

[Fazer]

Germany demanding that Europeans hand over more sovereign powers amongst other things. That's a terrible terrible thing to contemplate given history.

I'm with you all the way on that, do we ever learn from history.... No, not really

[Frosted]

Germany demanding that Europeans hand over more sovereign powers amongst other things. That's a terrible terrible thing to contemplate given history.

[Fazer]

OK, so Britain joined to **** it up and now with the job done, it feels it's about time for it to leave the club. LOL

I wish we would leave, i'm sick of being told what to do by the EU ...

[Jan]

You guys should remember that snus was allowed in the EU till 1992.

The ban was a demand from the British government before joining the EU. The UK had already enacted a ban for dip and snus in the late 80's.


Cheers!

OK, so Britain joined to **** it up and now with the job done, it feels it's about time for it to leave the club. LOL

[GN Tobacco Sweden AB]

All good and valid points chainsnuser

You know......you would think the nation that brought us Monty Python, the House of Lords, and the inane game of Cricket.....would have a better sense of humor and irony

Ajajahahahahahah

[Snusdog]

You guys should remember that snus was allowed in the EU till 1992.

The ban was a demand from the British government before joining the EU. Around this same time, the Brits also threw our illustrious and esteemed colleague Mr. S. Dog out of a museum in Oxford for being a bit drunk, better looking than everyone else........and also for being historically correct regarding a glaring error in one of their exhibits. Mr. Dog was seen being escorted from the museum while repeating the refrain "Viva 'monsieur Gilbert du Motier"......."Viva 'monsieur Gilbert du Motier"


Cheers!

All good and valid points chainsnuser

You know......you would think the nation that brought us Monty Python, the House of Lords, and the inane game of Cricket.....would have a better sense of humor and irony

[Fazer]

So how many independent snus companies do we have left ? Apart from .....

GN , V2 , Gotland , Tabocca , Gelivare . Is Pioneer on the list ? How about the DIY kits like Coobra and Prillan, are they independents?

Also, the way i see it, Altria having a financial interest/stake in Swedish Match, doesn't mean SM make fags. As for which product makes the most money, i'm sure fags win hands down.

One last point which makes stand by what I say is this .... Just because big tobacco has bought into most of the Swedish snus manufacturers, doesn’t mean they’re not behind wanting it banned. I make a comparison with Google, they actually have history of buying companies that compete with them, only to then shut the company down!

[Skell18]

Right. Unfortunately you cannot reason with those people.

I see them like I see opponents in my job. They act for the dodgy taxi driver saying he had 4 passengers that were not there, they lie and scheme and rely on the wrong evidence then, at the last minute, drop out. You cannot reason with claimant's 'solicitors' as you are dealing with an unqualified paralegal who is conforming to a script and doesn't understand the reasoning behind what they are saying, or what you are saying, they only care about one thing, getting their costs.

Right. Unfortunately you cannot reason with those people.

just the usual anti tobacco nazis who would petition for oxygen to be banned if it had anything to do with tobacco!

[Skell18]

Sorry I might be a little slow on the uptake here but if big tobacco has bought into or bought out most of the Swedish snus manufacturers who or what is it that wants snus to remain banned? :-s

Exactly! There is no compelling argument for it to be banned, just the usual anti tobacco nazis who would petition for oxygen to be banned if it had anything to do with tobacco!