Market & legal data in the tobacco alternatives sector in Egypt

19th February 2024: Egypt: Following the Ministry of Trade and Industry decision 503/2023, the Egyptian Organization for Standards and Quality (EOS) has published the Procedural and Financial Regulations for registering companies producing and importing hardware. Importers and producers of heated tobacco hardware are subject to a fee of EGP20,000 ($647) for file opening and EGP15,000 ($485) for trade name registration.
8th February 2024: Egypt: During a TV interview, Mahmoud Shalabi, secretary of fatwa at the Egyptian Fatwa House, addressed the religious perspective on heated tobacco and e-cigarettes, stating that individuals should refrain from using such products unless they are recommended as smoking-cessation tools. Fatwa House is a government body that offers religious rulings (fatwa), guidance and advice on matters of daily life.
30th January 2024: Egypt: In a TV interview, Ibrahim El Imbabi, head of the Tobacco Division at the Federation of Egyptian Industries, said that the division is considering obliging tobacco companies to notify the Consumer Protection Agency with a detailed monthly statement of their sales to each wholesaler, retailer and distributor, indicating the name, address and quantities sold. This would tighten control over the black market and prevent price manipulation by retailers.
8th January 2024: Egypt: The Ministry of Trade and Industry has issued decision 498/2023 and decision 503/2023, approving two standards proposed originally by the Egyptian Organization for Standards and Quality. The first sets retail restrictions for shops and premises selling, serving or storing heated tobacco products, and the second addresses safety requirements for devices. More information about the new standards can be found in our latest regulatory report on Egypt.
8th January 2024: Egypt: The Supreme Council of Universities has decided to ban the use of heated tobacco and e-cigarettes on university campuses, press reports. The ban means vaping and heated tobacco use will be prohibited in enclosed spaces, terraces, study halls, and bathrooms of public, private or technological universities. The penalty is EGP50 ($1.62) per violation.
20th November 2023: Egypt: Eastern Company, Egypt's largest tobacco producer and a former holder of a monopoly for the production of tobacco products in the country, announced it has completed the sale of a 30% stake of its shares to Global Investments Holding, a company based in the United Arab Emirates. The state-owned stake in Eastern Company is now 20% and belongs to the Holding Company for Chemical Industries.
7th November 2023: Egypt: Law 177/2023 on the amendments to law 67/2016 has been signed by the president and published in the Official Gazette. Under the new amendments, heated tobacco products (HTPs) are subject to a special value-added tax of EGP1,800 ($58.25) per kg of tobacco, instead of EGP1,400 ($45.30) per kg. Oral tobacco is now taxed at 225% for imported products and 110% for local products, instead of 200% for imported products and 165% for local products.
30th October 2023: Egypt: Yesterday (29th October), the House of Representatives approved a government-drafted amendment to law 67/2016 stipulating an increase in value-added taxes on tobacco products, press reports. Under the new amendments, heated tobacco will be taxed at EGP1,800 ($58.25) per kg of tobacco, instead of EGP1,400 ($45.30) per kg. Oral tobacco will be taxed at 225% for imported products and 110% for local products, instead of 200% for imported products and 165% for local products. The amendments will enter into force as soon as they are published in the Official Gazette.
28th August 2023: Egypt: The Egyptian Organization for Standards and Quality (EOS) has told TobaccoIntelligence it is currently working on two new regulations. The first will address retail restrictions, and the second will address safety requirements for devices. The standards – which are yet to be adopted – will be analysed in detail in our upcoming Egypt report, due in September 2023.
23rd August 2023: Egypt: Eastern Company, the former tobacco monopoly and the country's largest tobacco producer, has disclosed that it has received offers from foreign investors to buy up to 30% of its total shares, as part of the government's programme to list state-owned companies on the EGX to increase investment opportunities. The company is currently reviewing these proposals. The state-owned stake in Eastern Company is 50.95%, and belongs to the Holding Company for Chemical Industries.
12th July 2023: Egypt: The Ministry of Health has issued a warning against the use of heated tobacco, saying that studies have revealed the presence of harmful toxins in heat-not-burn devices, and that the consumables are more dangerous to health than regular tobacco because they contain more nicotine.
7th July 2023: Egypt: The customs authority told TobaccoIntelligence that under the customs tariff, herbal heated sticks would be treated as tobacco substitutes, and are therefore subject to a tax of EGP100 ($3.25) per kg, a health insurance fee of 10% of the retail selling price, and a value added tax rate of 14%.

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