Netherlands: No Vapor Tax Before Elections

The Netherlands will not impose an excise tax on vapor products before the November 2023 elections, reports DutchNews.nl, citing De Telegraaf.

The news source added that even if the Netherlands received EU approval to impose a vapor product excise tax, the process would take several years to complete.

Although this current government did not work toward creating a vapor product excise tax, Junior Health Minister Maarten van Ooijen said that he would encourage the next cabinet to move ahead on a “national tax on e-cigarettes.” Van Ooijen added that such a tax would be “in the interests of public health.”

High cigarette prices have assisted smokers to move toward vapor products in recent years. However, the current cabinet focused on prohibiting flavored e-liquids and online vapor product sales to combat rising youth rates of vapor product usage.

“We need to take action against vapes as soon as possible to protect our children, as other EU countries have done,” Van Ooijen said.

The EU is expected to revise its Tobacco Products Directive in 2025.