What will Scandinavians do for a cheap drink? I told you no regulations are unbeatable!

Last time in the Bulletin I mentioned Chinese's genius solution to one-child policy:  using drugs to increase chance of bearing twin babies. Recently I heard another interesting story that I would like to share with you. It happened in 1999, an old story, but it is amazing that our trustworthy law-abiding Nordic folks are as innovative and imaginative when it comes to dodging taxes.

Before June 1999, Scandinavians were allowed to carry duty-free alcohols and cigarettes when “crossing” borders. Taxes and duties are extremely high for these products, and thus it created huge incentive for Scandinavians to ride on the cheap ferry cruises  between Stockholm and Helsinki and purchase duty-free products on board. As a matter of fact, most passengers return on the same ships: the only reason for their long-haul two-way trip is to purchase duty-free stuff.

However, after June 1999, after they joined European Union, travel between Sweden and Finland is no longer regarded as border-crossing, and the duty-free benefits are gone. Ferry traffic plummeted. What were they going to do? Please guess.

Scandinavians came up with a genius solution. There is an Aland Island between Sweden and Finland, which were given tax-exempt status when Finland joined the European Union. The ferry cruise companies detour every one of their ships to Aland Island in their previously non-stop Stockholm-Helsinki route!