Europe - TobaccoIntelligence

8th October 2024: Ukraine: Bill 12091, which seeks to ban all tobacco products – including heated tobacco products (HTPs) – that have a characteristic taste and/or smell has been registered in the parliament, media reports. A ban is also proposed on tobacco products containing flavouring additives in any component (such as the filter, paper, packaging or capsule) and on any technical characteristics that allow the smell or taste of tobacco products or smoke intensity to be changed. In addition, the bill proposes the introduction of a combined medical warning (textual and graphic) on all tobacco products as well as devices for consuming tobacco without burning it.
7th October 2024: Greece: The Ministry of Health has updated the list of notified tobacco products. The list contains herbal heated products, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches, among others.
7th October 2024: Luxembourg: Amendments to the bill transposing the EU-wide heated tobacco flavour ban and establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for nicotine pouches have been proposed by the Parliamentary Committee on Health and Social Security. The amendments propose extending the applicable provisions on nicotine pouches to “new nicotine products” in order to adapt the regulations to new nicotine products being launched in the market, besides nicotine pouches. The maximum nicotine content for nicotine pouches proposed in May 2024 by the government – 0.048 mg per g – remains unchanged, effectively resulting in a de facto ban.
4th October 2024: Ukraine: The government has approved a procedure for the creation and operation of an electronic system for the circulation of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and liquids for e-cigarettes, media reports.
4th October 2024: France: The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a new study led by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that shows prohibiting the sale of tobacco to people born between 2006 and 2010 could prevent 1.2m lung cancer deaths by 2095. This strategy is part of broader tobacco elimination efforts aimed at reducing smoking rates by phasing out tobacco sales based on birthdates and ultimately preventing smoking among younger generations.
4th October 2024: France: The price of cigarettes and rolling tobacco is set to rise again in 2025 and 2026, press reports. France already has the second-highest tobacco prices in Europe after Ireland. Costs have been steadily increasing over years as part of a public health effort to curb smoking. More increases are planned for 2025 and 2026, with a packet of cigarettes potentially reaching €13 and rolling tobacco approaching €20. Prices are indexed to inflation, driving these ongoing hikes.
4th October 2024: Czech Republic: The State Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority has updated a list of notified tobacco products and their ingredients.
3rd October 2024: Russia: The bill amending the law “on the protection of citizens’ health from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, the consequences of tobacco consumption or the consumption of nicotine-containing products”, which seeks to ban the sale of tobacco- and nicotine-containing products and devices for their consumption to anyone born on or after 1st January 2010 has been developed by State Duma (lower chamber of the parliament) deputies from the New People faction, media reports. New People is a small faction that is against several policies of the current government but has a neutral to somewhat supportive position towards president Vladimir Putin.
3rd October 2024: Finland: Several members of Parliament (MPs) from opposition parties are calling for stricter regulations on tobacco and nicotine products, media reports. MPs are demanding an increase in the age limit from 18 to 20 to be able to legally purchase these products, a reduction in the nicotine content of nicotine pouches to 12 mg/g (instead of the currently proposed limit of 16.6 mg/g), and a ban on flavours for pouches.
3rd October 2024: Lithuania: Yesterday, 2nd October, the parliamentary Health Affairs Committee approved the amendment to tighten economic sanctions for selling tobacco and related products to under-age consumers, media reports. The proposal should next go to the plenary.
2nd October 2024: Belgium: Supermarket chain Buurtsuper.be has filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court regarding a measure in the tobacco plan approved in March 2024. Buurtsuper.be considers the ban on selling tobacco products, tobacco-related products, and e-cigarettes in food stores larger than 400 m² to be discriminatory. “The decision is not based on any study or evidence of a link between store size and public health,” says Buurtsuper.be.
2nd October 2024: Poland: The Council of Ministers has adopted the draft act amending the Excise Duty Act, which increases heated tobacco and e-liquid rates. It establishes an increase in the heated tobacco rates from PLN377.01 (€87.75) per kg to PLN565.52 (€131.64) per kg in 2025, PLN678.62 (€157.94) per kg in 2026, and PLN780.41 (€181.64) per kg in 2027. The current tax will remain applicable until the 1st March 2025.

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