Sixteen European Union countries have urged the European Commission to update tobacco legislation and include e-cigarettes, whose popularity is rapidly growing, under its framework.
This initiative is led by the Netherlands and supported by France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Czechia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovenia. In a letter to the European Commission from the finance ministers of these countries, they emphasize the need for unified rules on e-cigarettes. Currently, each country follows its own regulations, including taxation, leading to imbalances in the single market.
Although the European Commission was expected to introduce changes to tobacco legislation in 2022, the process has been delayed. At present, only minimum standards exist for e-cigarettes, such as limits on nicotine content and warnings advising against their use by non-smokers. However, specific regulations vary from one country to another.
Previously, French authorities discussed banning certain tobacco-containing products, including nicotine pouches.
