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EU tobacco trends and German tax opposition

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2026-09-16 03:53 UTC → 2026-09-25 11:03 UTC · added ~~removed~~

EU tobacco ~~use~~ trends and German tax ~~developments~~ opposition

EU-wide data shows a decline in daily tobacco and nicotine product use, falling to 16.5% of adults in 2025 from 17.5% in 2022. Recent Eurostat data highlights significant regional disparities: Bulgaria (26.3%), Sweden (23.9%), and Croatia (23.6%) report the highest daily consumption rates, while the Netherlands (9.9%), Ireland (11.7%), and Belgium (13.6%) report the lowest. Usage also shows a gender gap, with 20.8% of men compared to 12.6% of women using these products daily. To combat the 1.1 million annual deaths attributed to tobacco in Europe, the EU aims to reduce consumption to below 5% by 2040. Legislative efforts to reach a ‘Tobacco-Free Generation’ include a proposed overhaul of the Tobacco Taxation Directive (TTD) to increase taxes on e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches. In Germany, fiscal policy is shifting toward more aggressive taxation. Coalition factions from the Union and SPD have submitted an amendment to the government’s tobacco tax proposal, seeking higher increases between 2027 and February 2031 than originally planned. This includes raising the cigarette tax rate to 38.19 cents per unit by February 2031. The Federal Ministry of Finance has also proposed increasing the tax on e-cigarette liquids to 33 cents per milliliter by January 2027, though some factions push for 35 cents. At Industry representatives at the Intertabac trade ~~fair, industry representatives~~ fair have warned that these hikes could trigger a “tax explosion.” The German Cigar Industry Association noted that cigar and cigarillo prices could rise by 50 to 60 percent. The BVTE industry association warned that drastic hikes could drive consumers toward the black market, describing expected revenue increases as “castles in the air.” Projections suggest cigarette pack prices could reach 9.10 euros next year and up to 11.78 euros by 2030. Opposition to these measures is growing within the German political system.

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