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		EU tobacco subsidies are costing British taxpayers Wednesday, 24th October 2007 Strasbourg - In the same week as a report revealed Britons are more likely to die from smoking than the average across the European Union, Conservative MEPs want to cut tobacco production subsidies in the EU to zero, saving taxpayers more than 14 million euros (almost £10 million). Some 14,250,000 euros have been earmarked for tobacco subsidies in the draft 2008 EU Budget, being voted on in the European Parliament in Strasbourg tomorrow (Thursday). An amendment tabled by Conservative MEPs calls for the subsidies to be cut, saving European taxpayers millions over the next financial year. Speaking today, East Midlands Conservative MEP Roger Helmer said: "Subsidising tobacco production in the European Union is inconsistent with the aims and objections of the Public Health programme of the EU and consequently represents very poor value for money for EU citizens. "We now have a very successful smoking ban in the UK and British taxpayers should not in the meantime be paying to subsidise tobacco production in the EU."