Market & legal data of alternative tobacco products in Europe

17th March 2025: UK: The report stage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, approved in a second reading in November 2024 by the House of Commons (lower chamber of the UK parliament), is scheduled to start on 26th March 2025. The bill seeks to introduce a generational ban on tobacco products and herbal smoking products to anyone born on or after 1st January 2009; age, advertising and display restrictions for vape products; and confers powers on the government to further regulate advertising, product and packaging restrictions for nicotine products. The bill also proposes a new licensing retail scheme for tobacco and nicotine products, a vending machine ban on vapes, and public use restrictions for heated tobacco and vapes. The report stage will give members of Parliament an opportunity to consider further amendments (proposals for change) to the bill that has been examined in committee.
17th March 2025: Moldova: Although the bill amending the Tobacco Control Act to introduce stricter measures on tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs), passed its first reading, both the ruling majority and the opposition have voiced their criticism of the proposed measures. Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed concern that the prohibitive restrictions could lead to an increase in smuggling, and said that prevention and education would be more effective. They said the new measures were stricter than the EU Tobacco Products Directive, regarding the proposed ban on nicotine pouches. Both parties criticised the proposed ban on the grounds that these products are a potential replacement therapy for those who wish to quit smoking.
17th March 2025: Finland: Kaisa Garedew, a member of Parliament (MP) from the Finns Party (the second-largest party in the governing coalition) has demanded the government takes steps towards extending the rights of workers in child welfare institutions to oblige them to confiscate tobacco and nicotine products from children, media reports.
14th March 2025: Moldova: Yesterday (13th March), the parliament passed the first reading of a draft law to strengthen smoking regulations. The bill would expand the list of places where smoking is prohibited, increase fines, and introduce additional sales restrictions, labelling and health warning requirements for tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs). Moreover, the bill plans to ban nicotine pouches.
14th March 2025: Estonia: After several months at a standstill, bill 223 SE is advancing in the legislative procedure. This bill would define heated tobacco products (HTPs) within the Estonian tobacco framework and finally transpose the Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/2100 on banning flavours in HTPs. The deadline to transpose the directive had already passed on 23rd July 2023. The Social Affairs Standing Committee is scheduled to meet and discuss the bill on 17th March 2025 and potentially complete the first reading.
13th March 2025: Austria: Parliament is in the process of discussing the Budget Restructuring Measures Act 2025, which proposes to increase heated tobacco product (HTP) excise rates to €339/kg. The current Tobacco Act had only planned on increasing heated tobacco taxes to €215/kg in 2026. The bill was already passed in the National Council, and it is now up to the Federal Council to deliberate and propose amendments. If the bill is adopted, the new tax rate will be applicable for all HTPs from 31st March 2025.
13th March 2025: Moldova: The Centre for Health Policy and Analysis, a non-governmental health agency in Moldova, published the findings of its study on nicotine pouches and young people, titled “Young Audience – The Main Target of the Nicotine Sachet Industry”. It argues that aggressive marketing strategies and the use of sweet flavours are deliberately targeting youth. This was published yesterday, 12th March, one day before the draft law that proposes to ban nicotine pouches is discussed by Parliament. Despite having been on the agenda on several occasions, it has not yet been discussed.
13th March 2025: EU: A letter signed by 362 civil society organisations calls on the European Parliament and Council to reject the omnibus package that seeks to weaken due diligence reporting rules, media reports. The omnibus package would remove around 80% of companies from the scope of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and delay reporting timelines for companies in the scope of both the CSRD and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, media reports. We believe that if meeting the requirements, vaping and tobacco companies would also need to adhere to the rules.
13th March 2025: EU: In response to US president Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, the EU has prepared a comprehensive list of US products that might face retaliatory tariffs. The list covers heated tobacco, nicotine pouches, and e-cigarettes, along with other tobacco and related products. The European Commission has opened a consultation to gather feedback from those impacted by the tariffs, with a submission deadline set for 26th March.
12th March 2025: Portugal: Prime minister Luís Montenegro, facing accusations of conflict of interest from the opposition, has been censured by the parliament, leading to the collapse of the government. As widely expected, Portugal will now head to early elections, likely in late May, marking the third national election since 2022. Montenegro, leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), which follows a liberal-conservative ideology, has not pursued restrictive policies on novel tobacco products. Unlike some other European governments, the PSD has not pushed for bans on new tobacco alternatives, but it implemented the World Health Organization (WHO) smoking reduction objectives, limiting smoking in public spaces and restricting heated tobacco in the same way as combustible cigarettes.
11th March 2025: Sweden: Following a request from the Public Health Agency for changes to fees on tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has launched a consultation with targeted stakeholders before drafting the proposal. Responses must be submitted to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs by 5th June 2025.
11th March 2025: France: A report by Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT) highlights multiple instances of influencers promoting novel tobacco products since 2019, in violation of French law (law 2023-451 of 9th June 2023). The report identifies 948 posts from 229 influencers that promoted tobacco and nicotine products to the French-speaking Instagram community between 2019 and 2024 and reached an audience of over 24m – primarily of young people. The posts feature e-cigarette brands Vuse (formerly Vype) and Blu, as well as Velo nicotine pouches. In response, ACT has called for an immediate ban on nicotine pouches. The government notified a draft decree banning oral nicotine products, including pouches, pastes, liquids, gums and lozenges, to the European Commision through the TRIS notification system in February.

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