LATEST ALERTS
View allAlternative tobacco and nicotine products in Belarus
Regulatory reports
Detailed legal reports outlining industry regulation, analysis of the laws, and pertinent organisations
Market data
All of our heated tobacco and related products databases downloadable in Excel format
Regulatory data
Our full regulatory tracking databases including tax, proposed bills, etc.
New trial available: Click on any alert below and access our regulatory alerts and get timely notifications sent to your inbox for 7 days.
Alerts
Our legal experts track the evolving regulation around the tobacco alternatives sector on a daily basis. These alerts are then compiled into our Monthly Round-up section.
10th January 2023
Belarus: Under a December 2022 amendment to the Tax Law, heated tobacco consumables will be taxed until 31st March at BYN226.68 (€84) per kg; then from 1st April to 30th June at BYN261.92 (€97) per kg; from 1st July to 30th September at BYN297.20 (€110.10) per kg; and from 1st October to 31st December at BYN332.44 (€123.15) per kg. Nicotine pouches are now taxed at BYN92.11 (€34) per kg. The law also introduced a BYN2.72 (€1) tax on heated tobacco devices.
14th December 2022
Belarus: Temporary licensing of imports of heated tobacco consumables has been introduced by Resolution of the Council of Ministers, media reports. Tobacco sticks may be imported from other members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) – Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia – and from other states only under licences issued by the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade. The resolution came into force on 11th December and is valid for six months.
13th December 2022
Belarus: Finance minister Yury Seliverstov has announced planned increases in 2023 in excise duties on tobacco products, bringing them level with Russian rates, media reports. It is also planned to introduce a tax on heated tobacco devices at the same rate as in Russia.
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.
30th September 2022
- Belarus: Under Presidential Decree №224, the tax rate for heated tobacco will increase to BYN178.77 ($70) per kg from 1st October.
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.
5th July 2022
Belarus: The excise tax on heated tobacco rose on 1st July to BYR170.26 ($50.30) per kg under presidential decree №224. The rate will go up again from 1st October to the end of the year to BYR178.77 ($52.84) per kg.
1st April 2022
- Belarus: The resolution of the Council of Ministers introduces a mandatory conformity assessment by the National System of Conformity for tobacco-free nicotine products for oral use as of today. The resolution imposes limits on nicotine concentration of 11 mg per piece and also introduces mandatory labelling.
