Eight EU member states have officially called on the European Commission to overhaul the bloc’s tobacco regulations, demanding an immediate halt to new nicotine products entering the market and an EU-wide ban on flavored alternatives. The joint request, submitted to Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, comes from the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, France, Hungary, Latvia, Slovenia, and Spain.
Halting New Market Entrants and Regulating Existing Stock
The coalition aims to prevent tobacco companies from releasing novel products supported by reduced-risk claims. Under the proposal, the EU would prohibit the entry of any new product containing nicotine, nicotine analogs, or dedicated delivery devices. This restriction would also apply to nicotine-free products designed to mimic nicotine delivery systems.
For products already permitted on the market, the eight governments propose standardized rules to prevent consumers from switching between categories:
- Flavor Prohibitions: A wide ban on characterizing flavors across all existing nicotine products.
- Design Standards: Plain packaging requirements and uniform device specifications.
- Nicotine Caps: Strict limits on maximum nicotine concentrations.
Restricting Nicotine Pouches and Cross-Border Online Sales
The joint letter outlines a strict position on oral nicotine pouches. The eight states ask Brussels to strengthen the European oral tobacco framework and grant individual member states explicit authority to enforce total national bans on pouches.
The proposal also addresses digital marketing and sales channels. The signatories demand an EU-wide ban on nicotine advertising, specifically targeting creator-shared content and influencer promotions on social media platforms. Additionally, the group calls for a ban on cross-border distance sales, pointing out that online trade circumvents national health laws.
These regulatory proposals support the European Union’s target of creating a “smoke-free generation” by 2040, while incorporating environmental safeguards that allow member states to ban single-use disposable e-cigarettes.
