Brussels Rewrites Nicotine Rules as Romania Struggles with Smoking Crisis

Romania grapples with a persistent and worsening smoking epidemic, registering a 34% adult smoking rate, the third highest in the European Union. This figure marks an increase from its 2015 low of 27%, with approximately 30,000 annual deaths attributed to smoking-related diseases, even after a decade of tax hikes, consumption restrictions, and advertising bans.

As the EU prepares to update its directives on tobacco and nicotine products, the question arises why Romania continues to suffer such high smoking-related mortality. The European Commission is advancing two key dossiers: the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and the Tobacco Excise Duty Directive (TED). The TPD governs cigarettes, heated tobacco devices, vaping products, and nicotine pouches, dictating market access, ingredients, nicotine limits, and formats. The TED sets minimum EU taxation levels.

The European Commission is expected to propose highly restrictive measures for less harmful alternatives to cigarettes, potentially banning disposable e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and flavored products. This proposed approach aligns with Romania's existing strategy, which has already implemented excise taxes on heated tobacco and e-cigarette liquids since 2016, with subsequent increases. In 2023, Romania banned flavored refills for heated tobacco devices and, in 2024, subjected e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to the same packaging and advertising rules as traditional cigarettes.

However, these domestic measures have not curbed the rising death toll. The EU's impending stricter regulations on alternatives could further shape Romania's legislative landscape. The effectiveness of these combined national and potential EU-level restrictions in addressing the country's high smoking-related mortality remains a critical concern.