Market & legal data in the tobacco alternatives sector in Romania

21st November 2024: EU: Italy and Romania have issued a joint statement raising concerns about the procedure of the discussions on the proposal for a revision of the 2009 Council recommendation on smoke-free environments. The two countries say they regret the failure by the European Commission to present a proper impact assessment for this act as a basis for the Council to properly assess the proposed recommendations, which is also a concern the Spanish Association of Personal Vaporiser Users (ANESVAP) raised last month. Italy and Romania also flag that many of the significant comments and amendments proposed by EU member states have not been adequately considered and included in the text.
20th June 2024: Romania: The Romanian Parliament has passed a bill that amends audiovisual law 504/2002 and supplements law 148/2000 on advertising in order to further restrict the advertising of heating devices and nicotine pouches. Among other restrictions, the advertising of those products will be banned on premises of educational and healthcare institutions as well as within 200 m from their entrance, as will depicting under-age consumers using these products in adverts. The bill was passed by 269 votes in favour against 2 opposed.
11th March 2024: Romania: A bill amending the Tobacco Act has been adopted. The bill includes nicotine pouches, heating devices and herbal heated products (HHPs) under the scope of the Tobacco Act, subjecting them to similar restrictions as those in place for tobacco and vaping products. Until now, these products were unregulated and their sale was not subject to any restrictions. According to the approved bill, the maximum concentration of nicotine per pouch must not exceed 20 mg. The sale of nicotine pouches, heating devices and HHPs to under-18s is now prohibited.
8th January 2024: Romania: As of 1st January 2024, the excise duty on heated tobacco consumables amounts to RON1,094.93 (€220) per kg. The tax rate will progressively rise to RON1,146.62 (€230) per kg in 2025 and RON1,198.28 (€240) per kg in 2026.
5th October 2023: Romania: The Ministry of Finance told TobaccoIntelligence that the heated tobacco tax revenue amounted to RON55.90m (€11.25m) in 2019, RON112.51m (€22.64m) in 2020, RON158.65m (€31.92m) in 2021, and RON273.34m (€55m) in 2022.
13th September 2023: Romania: Members of parliament (MPs) from the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL) have introduced Bill 499/2023 to the Senate. The bill aims to extend the advertising restrictions currently applicable to tobacco products to heated tobacco products (HTPs), including heating devices and e-cigarettes. If passed, advertising these products will be prohibited on the premises of educational and healthcare institutions, and at a distance of less than 200 m from their entrance. Advertising in theatres and in publications intended primarily for under-18s, and depicting minors consuming these products in advertisements will also be banned.
13th September 2023: Romania: Social Democratic Party (PSD) member and president of the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house in Romania’s parliament) Alfred Simonis has submitted a bill aimed at prohibiting the sale of all e-cigarettes – regardless of their nicotine content – and heating devices to under-18s, press reports. Currently, the sale of nicotine-containing vaping products to minors is prohibited, but the sale of nicotine-free vapes and heating devices is not restricted. According to Simonis, their use is widespread among teenagers in the country. The bill also aims to establish a legislative framework for schools to have their own regulations prohibiting the consumption of these products within their premises and to apply sanctions. The bill has not yet been published on the parliament’s website.
21st July 2023: Romania: Yesterday, the government passed an emergency ordinance that implements the Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/2100, which imposes a flavour ban on heated tobacco products. The ordinance amending Law 201/2016 and Law 392/2002 also establishes that heated tobacco manufacturers and importers must notify the Ministry of Health when placing a product on the market and must specify which category the product belongs to: tobacco products for smoking or tobacco products that do not burn. The ordinance will enter into force on 23rd October 2023.
17th July 2023: Romania: The coalition government is considering a tax increase for many products, including e-cigarettes and tobacco products, to compensate for the state budget deficit, press reports. The details of the tax reform are still being negotiated between the two coalition parties, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Liberal Party (PNL). However, it is expected that the excise duty for tobacco products will be increased by 10%. The reform package will be implemented on either 1st August or 1st September.
10th July 2023: Romania: The Ministry of Finance has told TobaccoIntelligence that the tax revenue from the heated tobacco excise duty amounted to RON269m (€54m) for non-imported products and RON4.4m (€889,000) for imported products in 2022. This means that the total tax revenue for those products amounted to RON273m (€55m) in 2022.
30th June 2023: Romania: A bill further restricting the advertising of heated tobacco products (HTPs) has been introduced by MPs from the National Liberal Party (PNL). The bill amends Audiovisual Law no. 504/2002, as well as supplements Law no. 148/2000 on advertising in order to apply the same restrictions to HTPs that are applicable to tobacco products. The bill has not been published yet.
22nd June 2023: Romania: A bill that would ban public use of heated tobacco products (HTPs), submitted in May, has been registered for debate by the Senate, where discussion is expected to continue over the next few weeks. The use of HTPs is currently prohibited only on public transport; if the bill is passed it will also be banned in public buildings, indoor workplaces, health centres, cinemas, theatres and restaurants. It would also implement the flavour ban laid down by European Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2022/2100.

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