Market & regulatory data for the vaping sector in Europe

4th December 2023: Russia: The Federal Customs Service (FCS) supports the senators' initiative to add e-liquids to the list of strategically important goods, media reports. In this case, their smuggling will be punishable by imprisonment for between three and seven years. A letter with the senators' proposal was sent to the president's office last week.
4th December 2023: Russia: The Federal Tax Service (FTS) has strengthened inspections of e-cigarette and e-liquid manufacturers, media reports. The agency started to call for questioning manufacturers who reported a suspiciously small number of vials of e-liquid compared to the purchased volumes of nicotine. In addition, it has started requesting information from vape shops about e-cigarette suppliers. The FTS also pays close attention to entrepreneurs whose volumes of purchased raw materials significantly differ from the declared output of finished products. "We are well aware of the quantities of raw materials that should be used to produce goods," said the head of the FTS, Daniil Egorov.
4th December 2023: Czech Republic: The approved law (consolidated package) to introduce excise tax for e-liquids was sent for publication in the Collection of Laws on 1st December. E-liquids will be taxed at a rate of CZK2.5 (€0.10) per ml as of 1st January 2024. The rate will be adjusted annually, as follows: CZK2.5 (€0.10), CZK5 (€0.21), CZK7.5 (€0.31) and CZK10 (€0.41) per ml. The package also introduces the changes to the Act on the Protection of Health from the Harmful Effects of Addictive Substances, which prohibits any economic benefits when selling e-cigarettes and refills as of 2024.
1st December 2023: Finland: The parliament has published the adopted government bill on tobacco taxes with some changes. If signed by the president, non-liquid smokeless nicotine products, such as nicotine pouches, would be subject to a 10% ad valorem tax and a unit tax of €0.10 per g as of 1st January 2024. The minimum tax for such products is set to be €0.14 per g. For nicotine pouches released for consumption on or after 9th October 2023, the tax will apply as of 1st July 2024. Additionally, the bill covers liquid smokeless nicotine products, which would be taxed at a rate of €0.30 per ml. This change prepares for the possibility that liquid smokeless nicotine products will eventually enter the Finnish market. The parliament’s Information Service has confirmed to ECigIntelligence that such products could be, for example, nicotine-containing gel products and nicotine-containing mouth sprays. The bill does not impose changes to the taxation of e-liquids and heated tobacco.
1st December 2023: Russia: As of today, 1st December 2023, it is illegal to sell nicotine-containing or nicotine-free e-liquids that are not labelled and registered in the national track-and-trace system Honest Sign (Chestny Znak), as stipulated in government decree 224.
30th November 2023: UK: The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld ten complaints against the Elf Bar poster on the side of a bus that read: “Recycling for a Greener Future GreenAwareness”. The accompanying image included a recycling symbol and two vapes with the text “New Elf Bar 600V2 Is Available Now”. The decision concluded that the poster misled consumers about the product’s environmental benefits and recycling requirements.
30th November 2023: Portugal: Parliament has approved the State Budget 2024, which introduces an excise tax on nicotine-free e-liquids of €0.175 per ml and increases the tax on nicotine-containing e-liquids from €0.336 per ml to €0.351 per ml. The final text has not yet been released.
30th November 2023: Germany: The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) has updated the list of notified e-cigarette products. Only products notified at least six months ago are listed.
30th November 2023: Finland: On Tuesday, 28th November, the parliament adopted a government bill on tobacco tax changes in the second reading. If signed by the president, as of 1st January 2024, nicotine pouches will be subject to a 10% ad valorem tax and a unit tax of €0.10 per g. Additionally, the minimum tax for such products is set to be €0.14 per g. The bill does not impose changes to the taxation of e-liquids and heated tobacco.
29th November 2023: France: Bill 464 – introduced in November 2022 by deputy Francesca Pasquini from the left-wing opposition New Ecological and Social People’s Union party (Nupes) – which aims to ban disposable e-cigarettes, underwent discussion and minor amendments by the Social Affairs Committee. The bill is scheduled for further discussion in the National Assembly on 4th December.
29th November 2023: Spain: The president of the southern region of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, has announced that the sale of vaping products to minors, regardless of their nicotine content, will be prohibited in the region in 2024, press reports. While the sale of nicotine vaping products to under-18s is already prohibited at state level, no restrictions apply to the sale of nicotine-free e-cigarettes, whose use among teenagers is on the rise in the country. The measure will be implemented within the framework of a comprehensive plan aimed at tackling addictions.

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