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Senterpartiet has announced that it will seek to re‑introduce a tax‑free allowance that allows travellers to exchange tobacco for extra beer or wine. The proposal is part of the party’s alternative state budget, which will be presented before the government’s budget negotiations with the Labour Party, the Socialist Left Party, the Red Party and the Green Party. Under current Norwegian rules, passengers returning from abroad may bring in up to 1 liter of spirits, 3 litres of wine or 5 litres of beer if they only carry that type of alcohol. If a traveller mixes different types of alcohol, the quantities must be distributed according to specific limits, but beer and wine cannot be exchanged for stronger drinks. Tobacco is limited to 100 cigarettes or 125 grams of snus, and it cannot be swapped for additional alcohol. Senterpartiet’s proposal would allow a traveller to forgo the tobacco quota and instead receive an extra 1.5 litres of beer or wine. In practice, this could mean carrying six bottles of wine instead of the current maximum of four. The party argues that the change would increase tax‑free sales at Norwegian airports and generate additional revenue for Avinor, the state‑owned company that operates most of the country’s airports. Geir Inge Lien, a member of parliament for Senterpartiet, said that the increased tax‑free sales could help Avinor financially. The party estimates that the change would raise Avinor’s revenue by 140 million to 175 million Norwegian kroner. The ability to exchange tobacco for extra alcohol was first introduced in 2014 by the Solberg government, which included the Conservative Party and the Progress Party. The rule was removed in 2022 under the finance ministry of Minister Knut Arild Hareide, who was a member of the same coalition. Avinor’s tax‑free sales are a significant source of income. In 2025, the company reported that tax‑free revenue of approximately 4.7 billion kroner represented nearly 20 percent of its total income. The company has faced financial challenges in recent years, citing lower passenger numbers and reduced revenue following the COVID‑19 pandemic. Avinor has responded with cost‑cutting measures and increased airport fees for airlines, a move that the aviation industry warns could lead to higher ticket prices. The Senterpartiet proposal is currently under discussion and will be considered in the context of the upcoming budget negotiations. Article source: Verdens Gang | Image credit: Verdens Gang
Senterpartiet has announced that it will seek to re‑introduce a tax‑free allowance that allows travellers to exchange tobacco for extra beer or wine. The proposal is part of the party’s alternative state budget, which will be presented before the government’s budget negotiations with the Labour Party, the Socialist Left Party, the Red Party and the Green Party. Under current Norwegian rules, passengers returning from abroad may bring in up to 1 liter of spirits, 3 litres of wine or 5 litres of beer if they only carry that type of alcohol. If a traveller mixes different types of alcohol, the quantities must be distributed according to specific limits, but beer and wine cannot be exchanged for stronger drinks. Tobacco is limited to 100 cigarettes or 125 grams of snus, and it cannot be swapped for additional alcohol. Senterpartiet’s proposal would allow a traveller to forgo the tobacco quota and instead receive an extra 1.5 litres of beer or wine. In practice, this could mean carrying six bottles of wine instead of the current maximum of four. The party argues that the change would increase tax‑free sales at Norwegian airports and generate additional revenue for Avinor, the state‑owned company that operates most of the country’s airports. Geir Inge Lien, a member of parliament for Senterpartiet, said that the increased tax‑free sales could help Avinor financially. The party estimates that the change would raise Avinor’s revenue by 140 million to 175 million Norwegian kroner. The ability to exchange tobacco for extra alcohol was first introduced in 2014 by the Solberg government, which included the Conservative Party and the Progress Party. The rule was removed in 2022 under the finance ministry of Minister Knut Arild Hareide, who was a member of the same coalition. Avinor’s tax‑free sales are a significant source of income. In 2025, the company reported that tax‑free revenue of approximately 4.7 billion kroner represented nearly 20 percent of its total income. The company has faced financial challenges in recent years, citing lower passenger numbers and reduced revenue following the COVID‑19 pandemic. Avinor has responded with cost‑cutting measures and increased airport fees for airlines, a move that the aviation industry warns could lead to higher ticket prices. The Senterpartiet proposal is currently under discussion and will be considered in the context of the upcoming budget negotiations.
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