Andorra Tobacco Traders Warn Reforms Won't Stop Pas de la Casa Smuggling

Tobacco traders in Andorra warn that recent reforms to the law on sensitive goods may fail to curb large-scale smuggling from Pas de la Casa, despite new limits on carton sales.

The updated legislation took effect immediately but grants retailers until 1 February to comply fully. It restricts bulk purchases of cigarette cartons, aiming to tackle contraband originating in the parish's shops. However, Raül Calvo, president of the Tobacco Traders' Union, told ATV that customers can still evade the rules by making repeated small buys—such as five cartons at a time—before crossing the river illegally into France or Spain.

Calvo highlighted how this allows buyers to amass significant quantities for smuggling with little difficulty. The union acknowledges that some Pas de la Casa outlets have previously enabled mass purchases and hopes the changes will tighten sales controls and encourage greater sector responsibility to avoid penalties.

In response, traders are calling for tougher deterrents, including criminal penalties for transporting tobacco outside authorised border points. They argue this would undermine the economic incentive behind the trade. Calvo noted that such measures have been proposed before to block illegal crossings in non-designated areas, though implementation falls under state-level authority.

The group also points to price disparities between Andorra and its neighbours as a root cause. Stable pricing across the Spanish and French markets, they say, would lessen smuggling's appeal—a situation they blame on inconsistent EU member state policies that leave Andorra at a competitive disadvantage. Authorities have yet to respond to these demands.