LATEST ALERTS
12th September 2024
- Commonwealth of Independent States: The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, an intergovernmental organisation in Eurasia, consisting of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) has finished creating an action plan for all member states to prevent the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products on public health, media reports. Representatives from several member states have participated in a videoconference to discuss and make final edits to the plan. After the meeting, it was decided to get the plan approved domestically and then submit it to the CIS Council of Heads of Government for further review.
12th August 2024
- EAEU: The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) – the executive body of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) – has told TobaccoIntelligence that the revised draft of the technical regulation for nicotine-containing products was recently reviewed at a meeting of the working group held on 16th July. At the meeting, it was decided to conduct a metrological expertise and regulatory impact assessments of the regulation. The EEC also said the draft regulation will have to undergo the internal approval process and further consideration at the meetings of the EEC and the EEC Council. The draft would provide the common product, notification and labelling requirements for vaping products and heated tobacco for all EAEU member states. However, considering the recent ban on vaping products in Kazakhstan, we understand the standard rules, if adopted, would not apply in Kazakhstan in relation to vaping products.
22nd March 2024
- Armenia: The State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition has held a discussion with entities operating in the tobacco industry, media reports. Issues of unfair competition and other concerns were discussed with the aim of presenting them to the relevant authorities.
10th January 2023
Armenia: The excise tax on heated tobacco has increased to AMD3,100 ($7.95) per 1,000 consumables from 1st January.
9th November 2022
EAEU: Representatives of all five Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia – attended a meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to discuss the regulation of nicotine-containing products. Members said all such products were “harmful” and that in line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, heated tobacco products should be considered not as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) but as tobacco and “regulated as strictly as traditional tobacco products” as there was no evidence that they are any less harmful than cigarettes.
7th October 2022
- EAEU: In accordance with the decision of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission, heated tobacco products are included in the list of goods for personal use that can be imported into the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU, an economic union of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia) without payment of taxes, subject to quantity norms, namely up to 200 heated tobacco consumables. These norms apply to individuals age 21+ when entering Kazakhstan, and to those age 18+ when entering other EAEU member states. The decision comes into force tomorrow, 8th October 2022.
13th September 2022
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU): Following a decision by the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission, up to 200 heated tobacco consumables can be imported duty-free into the EAEU – the economic union of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia – for personal use. This will apply from 8th October to over-21s entering Kazakhstan and to over-18s in the other EAEU member states.
15th July 2022
- Armenia: Yesterday, 14th July, the government approved the plan to combat the use of tobacco products and tobacco substitutes for 2022-2026, media reports. The plan is expected to protect current and future generations from the corrosive effects of tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke, as well as significantly reduce the prevalence of tobacco use. Among other things, the plan seeks to develop the requirements for uniform packaging of such products, revise their tax policy, and provide mechanisms to exclude tobacco industry interference in tobacco control policies.
11th March 2022
- Armenia: At a special 9th March sitting, the National Assembly adopted the law “on reduction and prevention of health damage as a result of the use of tobacco products and their substitutes”. The aim of the amendment was to include minor corrections to the definition of “tobacco substitute”. However, the adopted version is not yet publicly available.
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