LATEST ALERTS
16th October 2024
- Uzbekistan: A working group meeting was held at the Alcohol and Tobacco Market Regulatory Inspection to discuss proposals around the digitalisation of the alcohol and tobacco industry, media reports. Among other things, it was proposed that a unified information system be created that allows full monitoring of the chain of movement of alcohol and tobacco products, the establishment of full control over tax revenues, and the analysis of risks in the industry.
9th October 2024
- Uzbekistan: The chairman of the Ecological Party (a small party outside of the governing coalition), Abdushukur Khamzaev, has proposed introducing a biometric age-verification service in stores when purchasing tobacco products, including vaping products, media reports. The party also believes that it is necessary to introduce a ban on the sale of tobacco products to people born after 2009.
12th September 2024
- Commonwealth of Independent States: The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, an intergovernmental organisation in Eurasia, consisting of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) has finished creating an action plan for all member states to prevent the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products on public health, media reports. Representatives from several member states have participated in a videoconference to discuss and make final edits to the plan. After the meeting, it was decided to get the plan approved domestically and then submit it to the CIS Council of Heads of Government for further review.
6th June 2024
- Uzbekistan: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed the decree “on strengthening measures to regulate the market of alcohol and tobacco products and prevent their illicit trafficking”, media reports. According to the decree, an inspectorate for regulating the alcohol and tobacco markets will be created under the Department for Combating Economic Crimes of the prosecutor general’s office. The inspectorate will participate in the implementation of a unified state policy for the production and sale of tobacco products, including heated tobacco and vaping products.
27th May 2024
- Uzbekistan: The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the Technical Regulations for Tobacco Products, establishing additional requirements for vapes and heated tobacco, media reports. The regulation specifies, among other things, that the volume of nicotine-containing liquid should not exceed 5 ml in disposable vapes, 2 ml in vape cartridges and 10 ml in bottles. It also specifies substances that will be unacceptable for use in vaping and heated tobacco products and subjects them to specific health warnings. All vapes and heated tobacco will also be subject to mandatory certification. Reportedly, the regulation will come into force on 1st January 2025.
18th April 2024
- Uzbekistan: The Association of Tobacco Industry Enterprises of Uzbekistan (Tamakisoz) has disagreed with the Ministry of Health’s recent proposal to ban e-cigarettes, e-liquids, heated tobacco consumables, and nicotine and tobacco devices. According to Tamakisoz, this proposal is expected to have an adverse impact on the state, businesses and society.
15th April 2024
- Uzbekistan: The Ministry of Health has published a bill for public consultation that would ban devices for tobacco heating, heated tobacco consumables, e-cigarettes and e-liquids in the country. With the bill, the government seeks to protect the lives and health of the population, especially children and adolescents. The public consultation will end on 18th April 2024, and if the bill is adopted it will enter into force three months after its official publication.
26th May 2023
- Uzbekistan: A bill to regulate novel tobacco and nicotine products and ban their sale to under-21s has been officially published. It will come into force on 26th August 2023.
25th May 2023
9th January 2023
- Uzbekistan: At the end of December 2022, the Senate approved a new version of the law “On restricting the distribution and consumption of alcohol and tobacco products”, which prohibits the sale of tobacco products, e-cigarettes and alcohol to under-21s, as well as via the internet and vending machines, press reports. The law must now be signed by the president. After that, it will enter into force within three months, and provisions regarding packaging and labelling requirements for tobacco products, tobacco and nicotine consumption devices within a year.
9th August 2022
Uzbekistan: Parliament was today due to consider the Conciliation Commission’s suggestions on a bill to restrict the distribution and consumption of alcohol and tobacco products, media reports. The Senate rejected the bill in June, calling for clarification and amendments, after it was approved by the lower house, the Legislative Chamber, at the end of 2021. The bill aims to amend current tobacco legislation to cover novel products and to ban sales to under-21s.
13th June 2022
Uzbekistan: The Senate has rejected a bill to restrict distribution and use of alcohol and tobacco products, saying it needs to be clarified and improved, press reports. The bill, which covers all tobacco and nicotine products, including vaping and heat-not-burn (HnB) products, will be presented again at the next full session of the Senate after the lower house, the Legislative Chamber, considers the shortcomings pinpointed by senators.
Sign up to our newsletter
Stay up-to-date with key market trends and regulatory news and receive complimentary data on a regular basis.
"*" indicates required fields
