Market & regulatory data for the vapour sector in Russia

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.
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.
28th November 2023: Russia: The Federation Council (upper chamber of the parliament) Committee on Economic Policy proposes to combat the illegal import of e-liquids into Russia by including these products in the list of strategically important goods. The Committee has sent a letter with the proposal to the president's office, media reports. If the initiative is implemented, smugglers of these goods will face a prison sentence of between three and seven years. Currently, only administrative responsibility is imposed for such an offence.
28th November 2023: Russia: Today, bill 448566-8 was approved by the president. The bill amends the Tax Code for the second time this year and increases the current tax rates starting next year. The rate for e-liquids, including nicotine-free e-liquids, will increase to RUB42 (€0.43) per ml in 2024, to RUB44 (€0.45) per ml in 2025 and to RUB46 (€0.47) per ml in 2026.
22nd November 2023: Russia: Bill 448566-8 has been approved by the Federal Assembly (upper chamber of Parliament) today, and now heads to the president for his signature. The bill amends the Tax Code for the second time this year and increases the current tax rates starting next year. The rate for e-liquids, including nicotine-free e-liquids, would increase to RUB42 (€0.43) per ml in 2024, to RUB44 (€0.46) per ml in 2025, and to RUB46 (€0.48) per ml in 2026.
17th November 2023: Russia: Today (17th November), bill 448566-8 has passed its third reading in the State Duma (lower chamber of Parliament) and heads to the Federal Assembly (upper chamber of Parliament). The bill would amend the Tax Code for the second time this year and would increase the current tax rates starting next year. Accordingly, the rate for e-liquids with and without nicotine would increase to RUB42 (€0.43) per ml in 2024, to RUB44 (€0.45) per ml in 2025, and to RUB46 (€0.47) per ml in 2026.
13th November 2023: Russia: The government has approved a resolution that gives the Ministry of Finance new powers in relation to the tobacco industry. The ministry will now develop a state licensing policy and control the production and turnover of tobacco and nicotine-containing products. According to the document, the ministry will be able to distribute tobacco excise tax revenues not only to the federal budget but also to the regions, which will increase the motivation of local authorities to control the tobacco market.
13th November 2023: Russia: The Russian Union of Nicotine Industry Enterprises (Spini) sent a letter to the State Duma chairman, Vyacheslav Volodin, asking the State Duma to introduce administrative fines for parents of under-age smokers, believing it would help combat illegal sales to minors. Members of Parliament have criticised the Spini proposal. Artem Metelev, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Youth Policy, said that it is excessive to punish parents for something that is difficult to control, and that he believes such a measure will generate more conflict than benefit.
10th November 2023: Russia: The standard on e-liquids, GOST R 58109-2018, has been amended and will be obligatory from 1st March 2024. The amendments will introduce a new list of substances and plants prohibited in e-liquids. Changes will also be made to packaging requirements; for example, packaging imitating food products and images of food on packages will both be prohibited. According to the amended GOST, the packaging must not contain a statement that the e-liquid is less harmful.
10th November 2023: Russia: A proposal prepared by the Ministry of Health to ban certain additives in e-liquids was rejected by several ministries. The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Agriculture said this would not minimise the attractiveness of e-cigarettes among minors, but would instead lead to a ban of the entire industry. The proposal hasn’t been released to the public. It is questionable if further restrictions on additives would enter into force on 1st March 2024, as previously envisaged, given that the Ministry of Health must redraft a new proposal.

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