LATEST ALERTS
View allAlternative tobacco and nicotine products in Bulgaria
Regulatory reports
Detailed legal reports outlining industry regulation, analysis of the laws, and pertinent organisations
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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.
20th March 2023
Bulgaria: The Ministry of Finance has presented a draft Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Tax-Insurance Procedural Code, introducing a tax for "tobacco substitutes containing nicotine", which would include nicotine pouches. If adopted, the tax would be BGN167 (€85.39) per kg from 1st July 2023, BGN184 (€94.08) per kg from 1st January 2024, BGN202 (€103.28) per kg from 1st January 2025 and BGN222 (€113.51) per kg from 1st January 2026. The draft is open for public consultation until 16th April, when it will then be sent to the National Assembly.28th February 2023
Bulgaria: From tomorrow, 1st March, the tax on heated tobacco will rise to BGN282 (€144.50) per kg. The rate is due to go up again to BGN331 (€169.60) per kg in 2024, BGN380 (€194.70) in 2025 and BGN400 (€205) in 2026.
20th January 2023
- Bulgaria: Members of We Continue the Change, a centrist party with the second most seats in Parliament, have presented a bill to amend the Law on Tobacco and Tobacco Products. Among the measures proposed are an expansion of the prohibition of marketing and advertising, including the obligation of health warnings on advertisements. The bill would affect heated tobacco products.
29th November 2022
Bulgaria: A bill to amend the Law on Excise and Tax Warehouses was approved at its first reading in the National Assembly. It would increase excise duties on tobacco products incrementally until 2026. Heated tobacco products would be taxed at BGN282 (€144) per kg in 2023, rising to BGN331 (€170) in 2024, BGN380 (€195) in 2025 and BGN400 (€205) in 2026.
15th November 2022
Bulgaria: The Ministry of Finance is drafting a bill to increase excise duties on tobacco products gradually until 2026, media reports. Heated tobacco products would be taxed at BGN282 (€144) per kg in 2023, BGN331 (€170) per kg in 2024, BGN380 (€195) per kg in 2025 and BGN400 (€205) per kg in 2026. The bill has not been introduced in the parliament yet. The previous government tried to increase the excise duties in June, before being dissolved following a no-confidence vote.
3rd October 2022
- Bulgaria: With 99% of the ballots counted, partial official results show former prime minister Boyko Borissov's centre-right GERB party winning with 25.4% in Sunday's election, the fourth in less than two years. Its main rival, Kiril Petkov's reformist We Continue the Change, whose coalition cabinet collapsed in June, came second with 20.2%. The makeup of the new government coalition is still unclear. If Petkov is part of this government, an attempt to increase heated tobacco excise duties could be expected, as the former government failed to do so in June this year when it was dissolved following a no-confidence vote.
27th June 2022
Bulgaria: A budget bill which would have gradually increased excise tax on heated tobacco products will not be voted on after the government was dissolved following a no-confidence vote.
17th June 2022
- Bulgaria: The bill to amend the Budget Law 2022, which proposes to increase the excise tax on heated tobacco products over the next few years, passed the first reading. Heated tobacco products would be taxed at BGN245 (€125) per kg starting 1st July 2022, BGN257 (€131) in 2023, BGN270 (€137) in 2024, and BGN283 (€145) in 2025.
7th June 2022
- Bulgaria: The Ministry of Finance presented to the National Assembly a bill to amend the Budget Law 2022, which aims to increase the excise tax on heated tobacco products over the coming years. Heated tobacco products would be taxed at BGN245 (€125.18) per kg starting 1st July 2022, BGN257 (€131.31) in 2023, BGN270 (€137.95) in 2024 and BGN283 (€144.60) in 2025.
4th April 2022
Bulgaria: The Council of Ministers has agreed to increase excise duties on tobacco and heated tobacco products in order to cut usage, media reports. The exact figures have not yet been released, but the changes are due to come into force in July.
