EU Plans New Proposal for Taxing Tobacco Products and Vapes

brussels - Sixteen EU countries have asked the European Commission to come up with a new proposal in the coming months for taxing tobacco products in the EU, including electronic cigarettes and vapes.

Sixteen EU countries have requested the European Commission to introduce a new proposal in the near future for taxing tobacco products in the EU. The new legislation aims to incorporate new products such as electronic cigarettes and vapes, which are currently not covered by existing regulations.

The initiative, led by the Netherlands, is supported by Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Spain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Slovenia, and Portugal.

In a letter to the Commission, the finance ministers of these countries highlighted the need to update the EU tobacco tax law from 2011. They emphasized that due to the lack of EU regulations on vaping, each country currently has different rules and excise rates, disrupting the EU's internal market.

According to the joint letter, seen by Reuters, "Under the current directive, most of these products cannot be taxed like traditional tobacco products. The provisions of the current directive are inadequate or too limited to address the challenges faced by member state authorities, given the constantly changing supply of the tobacco industry."