Author: Marija Obradovic
Canada considers a national flavour ban to protect youth and close the ‘gateway’
Written by Marija Obradovic || 16th March 2021 || Regulatory briefing |
A flavour ban is on the agenda again in Canada as the government’s commitment to reducing the appeal of vaping products to young people comes to a peak ...
Global regulatory tracker: regulatory burden index January 2021
Written by Marija Obradovic || 11th February 2021 || Regulatory trackers |
Welcome to the ECigIntelligence regulatory burden index (ERBI), where we provide a clear and concise overview of the different levels of regulatory burden imposed on e-cigarettes around the world. The index, downloadable here as a consolidated Excel file,...
Regulatory report: UK
Written by Marija Obradovic || 24th November 2020 || Regulatory reports |
The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 transposed the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) in the UK. It is expected to be reviewed in 2021. This report provides an overview of the current regime in place in the...UK regulatory report Appendix 2 – ASA/CAP
Written by Marija Obradovic || 18th November 2020 || Resources |
CAP rules The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) have issued rules regarding the advertising of e-cigarettes or refills with nicotine, as well as any e-cigarette which can be used to consume nicotine even if it is marketed as...UK regulatory report Appendix 1 – Relevant consumer and safety laws
Written by Marija Obradovic || 18th November 2020 || Resources |
General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (an implementation of Directive 2001/95/EC) requires products launched to market to be safe, for consumers to be made aware of associated risks, and for products to be recalled if dangers are identified. CLP-Regulation...
Months after slashing e-liquid taxes, Hungary is set to increase them again
Written by Marija Obradovic || 6th November 2020 || Regulatory briefing |
Seven months after more than halving the tax on e-liquids, Hungary’s government has changed its mind and is proposing an increase to comply with EU demands ...
Regulatory report: Bahrain
Written by Marija Obradovic || 29th October 2020 || Regulatory reports |
In October 2020, the (GSO) told ECigIntelligence that the draft regulating electronic cigarettes is currently in its final stage and it is expected to be adopted by the end of 2020 or in the first quarter of 2021...
Chinese officials inspect and remove e-cig vending machines – but is it legal?
Written by Marija Obradovic || 30th September 2020 || Regulatory briefing |
Chinese officials have inspected more than 1,000 e-cigarette vending machines in the last two months – but there is some confusion within the industry about the legality of their actions ...
E-cigs not defined as tobacco products: Egypt regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 10th September 2020 || Regulatory reports |
Egypt legalised e-cigarettes in February 2019, and this report examines the set of requirements that have been implemented in order to regulate e-cig use ...
Taiwan proposal would ban e-cigs but leave uncertainty over other products
Written by Marija Obradovic || 8th June 2020 || Regulatory briefing |
The Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare has released a draft proposal to ban e-cigarettes, while leaving open the possibility of market approval for some reduced-risk products ...
Regulatory report: Japan
Written by Marija Obradovic || 20th May 2020 || Regulatory reports |
This report provides an overview of the current laws and restrictions around e-cigs in Japan, focusing on areas such as advertising, labelling and packaging, age and product restrictions, taxation and enforcement ...
Regulatory report: South Korea, current and likely future regulation
Written by Marija Obradovic || 14th April 2020 || Regulatory reports |
This report details current regulation of e-cigarettes in South Korea, one of the world's most highly developed economies, and outlines ways in which the government is seeking to tighten controls ...
Croatia invites comments on plan to bring in tax on e-liquids
Written by Marija Obradovic || 28th January 2020 || Regulatory briefing |
Croatia could be about to join the growing number of EU member states which have opted for a special tax on vaping products ...
New e-liquid tax on the way: Denmark regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 16th December 2019 || Regulatory reports |
In our latest look at regulations in Denmark, we find new taxes are in the pipeline, new safety specifications have been introduced and the notification fees are still...
Display and promotion are prohibited at point of sale: Ontario regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 27th November 2019 || Regulatory reports |
This report provides an overview of the regulations relating to e-cigs in Ontario, Canada, including an overview of taxation as well as the restrictions around advertising and marketing, age, product, labelling and packaging ...
Room for interpretation in federal law – Canada regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 8th November 2019 || Regulatory reports |
Canada’s Tobacco and Vaping Products Act became law in May 2018, bringing nationwide regulation of e-cigarettes to the country for the first time. The act leaves wide scope for further clarifying regulation ...
China demands an end to e-cigarette sales online and to young people
Written by Marija Obradovic || 4th November 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
China’s tobacco and market regulators have announced a major crackdown on e-cigarette sales and advertising, reiterating the ban on sales to minors and demanding the closing-down of e-cig websites ...
India puts e-cigarette and heated tobacco ban out to public consultation
Written by Marija Obradovic || 26th October 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
Following the ordinance banning e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, the Indian government is moving forward by drafting a bill which must be approved by parliament reaffirming its effects ...
Court grants breathing-space to e-cig firms challenging India’s ban
Written by Marija Obradovic || 9th October 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
An Indian judge has granted interim relief, allowing two vaping companies to keep their e-cig stocks pending the adoption of a ban on the production, distribution, import and sales of e-cigarettes nationwide ...
Albania regulates vaping for the first time with TPD-like legislation
Written by Marija Obradovic || 4th September 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
Albania is among the first countries in the Western Balkans to adapt their domestic tobacco legislation to match the EU requirements outlined in the TPD ...
Order to change window display reveals vagaries of Norwegian enforcement
Written by Marija Obradovic || 29th August 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
A vape store chain in Norway is under scrutiny from local authorities who claim it is violating advertising regulations with a big picture in the window showing the company’s CEO with an e-cigarette ...
E-cig and heated tobacco laws on the horizon: Russia regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 30th July 2019 || Regulatory reports |
With new laws currently under discussion, we take a look at the state of regulation of e-cigarette and heated tobacco products in Russia right now and see how the taxation levels are set to rise annually ...
Hungary heading for lower tax and fewer licensed retailers
Written by Marija Obradovic || 9th July 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
The Hungarian parliament is considering reducing tax on nicotine-containing e-liquids, while bringing in taxation and other restrictions on those without nicotine ...
Legal standard set for e-cigs: United Arab Emirates regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 4th July 2019 || Regulatory reports |
As we look in detail at the regulations governing e-cigarettes in the United Arab Emirates we find that new laws have recently been passed ...
Malaysia regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 20th June 2019 || Regulatory reports |
The Malaysian Ministry of Health is working on a framework for the regulation of e-cigarettes, and expects to put a proposal before parliament at the end of 2019. In the meantime ...
Middle Eastern states move to legalise e-cigarettes, but at a high price
Written by Marija Obradovic || 29th May 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Jordan have decided to allow the sale of e-cigarettes, as Middle Eastern attitudes toward vaping...
British Columbia considers banning flavours, restricting e-cig sales
Written by Marija Obradovic || 17th April 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
The Canadian province of British Columbia is considering a ban on e-liquid flavours, and restricting e-cig sales to adult-only tobacco stores, vape stores and approved pharmacies ...
India’s trade ministry says there’s ‘no legal basis’ to ban e-cig imports – yet
Written by Marija Obradovic || 11th April 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
The Indian trade ministry has said there is no legal basis for prohibiting e-cig imports, and is reported to have asked the health ministry to prepare legislation that will have that effect ...
Portugal regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 10th April 2019 || Regulatory reports |
Our updated report outlines the rules governing e-cigarettes in Portugal, where they have been regulated since 2016 according to the European TPD, and how the regulations are applied ...
High Court judge puts off Indian e-cig ban pending further hearing in May
Written by Marija Obradovic || 19th March 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
The Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to e-cigarette vendors in India, delaying until 17th May the effects of a government circular calling for a nationwide ban on vaping products ...
E-cigs and HnB could get some relief from a new Estonian government
Written by Marija Obradovic || 14th March 2019 || Regulatory briefing |
With talks still ongoing to form a government following Estonia’s parliamentary elections, there is hope for a policy change on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco in one of the most restrictive vapour markets ...
India aims to ramp up Information Technology Act to block e-cig promotion
Written by Marija Obradovic || 27th December 2018 || Regulatory briefing |
New changes to the Information Technology Act aim to block any information on the internet promoting e-cigarettes to residents of India. This week, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) proposed an amendment to the Draft of the...
Now Indian government tells customs to seize all e-cig and HnB imports
Written by Marija Obradovic || 27th November 2018 || Regulatory briefing |
Two weeks after the Delhi High Court decided that an advisory banning e-cigarettes was not binding on India’s states, the national government has issued a new notice calling on customs officers to seize imports ...
Lithuania regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 26th November 2018 || Regulatory reports |
This report on e-cig regulation in Lithuania contains updates on age and product restrictions, obligation to notify, public usage, advertising and marketing, taxation, enforcement, and bills currently under debate ...
Japan regulatory report: e-cigarettes and heated tobacco
Written by Marija Obradovic || 8th October 2018 || Regulatory reports |
This updated report on regulation of e-cigs and heated tobacco in Japan includes new tax rates and new restrictions on public use of heated tobacco, plus details of required warning posters and sanctions ...
Second highest notification fees in Europe: Denmark regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 3rd September 2018 || Regulatory reports |
In our latest look at Denmark, we find that the country has the second highest notification fee in the EU, which amounts to about €4950 ($5771). The Danish Health Authority dismisses scientific evidence that e-cigarettes are an effective...
No federal law, but states are urged to ban e-cigs: India regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 3rd September 2018 || Regulatory reports |
Central government in India, the world’s second largest country by population, does not regulate e-cigarettes specifically – but has advised its constituent states to ban vaping products ...
India: central government asks states to ban e-cigs and heated tobacco
Written by Marija Obradovic || 28th August 2018 || Regulatory reports |
India’s Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare has issued an advisory to all states to ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco ...
New Zealand working on regulation for newly legal nicotine e-cigs
Written by Marija Obradovic || 11th July 2018 || Regulatory reports |
The New Zealand government is working on creating a regulatory framework for nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, expected to be more flexible than the regime in place in Europe ...
No tax proposed as yet: Slovakia regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 13th June 2018 || Regulatory reports |
In our latest look at the regulatory picture in Slovakia we see that e-cigarettes are not covered by any excise tax, e-cigs with and without nicotine have mild retail restrictions and notification is free of charge ...
Light on enforcement and notifications are free: Bulgaria regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 1st June 2018 || Regulatory reports |
In our latest look at Bulgaria, we find that distance sales are banned, notification is free-of-charge, non-nicotine products are regulated as a consumer products and there is no taxation of e-cigarettes ...
Shake and vape still a grey area: Poland regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 29th May 2018 || Regulatory reports |
In our latest look at Poland we find that a tax on all e-liquids will apply as of January 2019, distance sales are prohibited and new, slightly higher, notification fees now apply ...
Hungary regulatory report: tough rules but weakening enforcement
Written by Marija Obradovic || 23rd April 2018 || Regulatory reports |
The regulation of vaping products in Hungary is substantially derived from the European TPD, but remains the most severe in the EU – although enforcement of many of the rules does appear to be slackening ...
Ukraine regulatory report: TPD beyond the EU?
Written by Marija Obradovic || 12th March 2018 || Regulatory reports |
Ukraine's current regulatory setup is lenient on e-cigs but with politicians keen to foster stronger links with the EU, and with acts now in force to strengthen existing relations, it's only a matter of time before the European...
Domestic online sales ban looms: Estonia regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 16th February 2018 || Regulatory reports |
Estonia is one of the most severe environments for the vaping industry in Europe. Cross-border distance sales are prohibited, while domestic online sales will be banned as of 1 July, 2019 ...
Norway regulatory report: nicotine e-cigarettes will soon be legal
Written by Marija Obradovic || 5th February 2018 || Regulatory reports |
Norway is likely to end its ban on e-cigarettes in mid-2018. However, vapour products are subject to detailed regulations and the Norwegian authorities have extended the EU’s TPD to cover nicotine-free products ...
Hardware waste management in the EU
Written by Marija Obradovic || 8th January 2018 || Regulatory reports |
The hardware and batteries used in e-cigarette products must be disposed of in line with EU legislation. Packaging should display the crossed-out wheelie bin symbol, which indicates that hardware should be disposed of separately from normal household...
E-liquids enjoy a zero-tax regime: Croatia regulatory report
Written by Marija Obradovic || 30th November 2017 || Regulatory reports |
Unlike its Balkan neighbours Slovenia and Serbia, Croatia – one of the last countries in Europe to transpose the TPD – puts a zero rate of tax on e-liquids ...