Market & legal data of the tobacco alternative sector in Ukraine

19th December 2024: Ukraine: According to the head of the State Service for Food and Consumer Protection, Serhiy Tkachuk, the introduction of a nicotine cap for nicotine pouches in Ukraine is needed urgently to protect consumer rights and the health of the nation as a whole, media reports. Tkachuk said that “people are reporting medically confirmed cases of nicotine poisoning from using pouches containing about 150 mg of nicotine. The lack of clearly established standards for the maximum permissible doses of nicotine in pouches makes it impossible to effectively respond to these cases”.
4th December 2024: Ukraine: The parliament has adopted the government’s bill (proposed in March) on increasing excise taxes on tobacco products with further amendments in the second reading. Bill 11090 proposes new excise tax rates for tobacco products from 1st January 2028, taking into account the minimum level determined by the EU Tobacco Tax Directive (2011/64/EU). The bill also envisages a gradual annual increase in rates to bring them to the specified minimum level, and the euro was proposed as the monetary unit to use to measure the excise tax rate on tobacco products. The bill now goes to the president for his signature.
2nd December 2024: Ukraine: Bill 12251 on amendments to the Law of Ukraine “On State Regulation of the Production and Circulation of Ethyl Alcohol, Alcohol Distillates, Bioethanol, Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco Products, Tobacco Raw Materials, Liquids Used in Electronic Cigarettes, and Fuel” has been registered in the parliament, media reports. The bill seeks to increase the content of tobacco raw materials grown in the customs territory of Ukraine in the total volume of raw materials used for the production of tobacco products.
28th November 2024: Ukraine: The Parliament Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy has supported the government’s bill (proposed in March) on increasing excise taxes on tobacco products, media reports. Bill 11090 proposes new excise tax rates for tobacco products from 1st January 2028, taking into account the minimum level determined by the EU Tobacco Tax Directive (2011/64/EU). The bill also envisages a gradual annual increase in rates to bring them to the specified minimum level, and it was proposed to use the euro as the monetary unit to measure the excise tax rate on tobacco products. The bill should next go to the plenary.
12th November 2024: Ukraine: The basic version of the electronic excise system (eExcise, which will replace the current excise stamp with a data matrix code) will start operating from March 2025, media reports. The full functionality will be implemented from 2026.
8th October 2024: Ukraine: Bill 12091, which seeks to ban all tobacco products – including heated tobacco products (HTPs) – that have a characteristic taste and/or smell has been registered in the parliament, media reports. A ban is also proposed on tobacco products containing flavouring additives in any component (such as the filter, paper, packaging or capsule) and on any technical characteristics that allow the smell or taste of tobacco products or smoke intensity to be changed. In addition, the bill proposes the introduction of a combined medical warning (textual and graphic) on all tobacco products as well as devices for consuming tobacco without burning it.
4th October 2024: Ukraine: The government has approved a procedure for the creation and operation of an electronic system for the circulation of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and liquids for e-cigarettes, media reports.
4th September 2024: Ukraine: The volunteers of the all-Ukrainian campaign “Youth free from smoking” in cooperation with the non-governmental organisation (NGO) “Zhyttia” held a press conference dedicated to the problem of tobacco advertising, media reports. The results of monitoring advertising of tobacco products, heating devices, e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches in 64 points-of-sale in five regional centres of Ukraine (Lviv, Ternopil, Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa) were presented, and they showed that the tobacco industry violates both the Anti-Tobacco Act and the Advertising Act.
3rd September 2024: Ukraine: Bill 11504 has been registered in the parliament. The bill seeks to reduce the number of places where tobacco and alcohol products are sold, identifying the “places of retail of trade” in order “to combat the market of illegal cigarettes that is currently flourishing in kiosks”. We understand that these requirements, if adopted, would be applicable to the sales of vaping products as well.
19th June 2024: Ukraine: The State Production and Consumer Service has announced that the government is creating the “eTobacco” portal, where it will be possible to monitor the circulation and quality of tobacco products. On this portal, manufacturers and importers will provide information on the ingredients of tobacco products and the emissions resulting from their use. The portal should start operating in February 2025.
19th June 2024: Ukraine: The parliament has adopted in the second reading a bill seeking to change the existing Law On State Regulation of Production and Circulation of Ethyl Alcohol, Cognac and Fruit Alcohol, Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco Products, Liquids Used in Electronic Cigarettes, and Fuel (Tobacco and Alcohol Act). The new bill aims, among other things, to simplify the procedure for obtaining required licences, including a transition to e-licences as well as issuing unlimited licences. The cost of licences would also be adjusted together with the amount of fines for violating the requirements of the act. The bill now needs to be signed by the president.
14th June 2024: Ukraine: Kyiv City Council has decided to reduce the number of kiosks in the capital within two years, as well as to prohibit them from selling excise goods, including tobacco and vaping products, media reports. It is still unclear when the sales ban will be implemented in the city’s kiosks.

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