Belarus is once again contemplating measures to regulate the sale of electronic cigarettes, with a new draft law titled "On Tobacco Raw Materials, Tobacco, Non-Tobacco Nicotine-Containing Products, Electronic Smoking Systems and Liquids for Them, Systems for Tobacco Consumption" being put forward for public discussion. The discussion was organized by the state food industry concern "Belgospischeprom."
Illegal Imports and Lost Revenue Drive Regulatory Push
A key driver for the proposed changes is the significant volume of illegally imported vaping products. It's estimated that around 77% of disposable e-cigarettes (over 26,000 units) enter Belarus illegally, sold without undergoing conformity assessments or paying excise duties. This illicit trade results in an estimated annual loss of 130 million rubles in unpaid excise taxes.
Earlier this year, discussions were held regarding tightening requirements for the production, circulation, and consumption of non-tobacco nicotine-containing products and vaping systems. While a complete ban on vapes was considered following a directive from the Council of Ministers, experts have suggested that establishing a system of state control over the circulation of these products might be more practical.
Proposed Regulations: Licensing, Quality Standards, and Restrictions
Instead of an outright ban, which some fear could reduce budget revenues from legally imported products and increase control system costs, the current proposal focuses on stricter regulation. This includes introducing licensing for the production, storage, import, wholesale, and retail trade of e-cigarettes. The initiative aims to establish requirements similar to those for traditional tobacco products, covering quality and safety standards, conformity assessments, equipment standards, excise rates, and labeling.
Additionally, the draft law suggests restricting e-cigarette use in certain areas, including on the porches of multi-apartment residential buildings and dormitories. A significant proposal is to limit the right to produce, export, import, store, and trade vapes exclusively to legal entities, effectively banning individual entrepreneurs and private individuals from these activities.
