Armenia raises fines on tobacco products to meet EAEU standards. There are still old versions of packaging that do not meet the standards in the market, and regulators have issued fines to some manufacturers and importers.
Key points:
1. The Government of Armenia has decided to increase the fines for tobacco products that do not meet the standards of the Eurasian Economic Union.
2. This policy adjustment relates to the compliance of technical standards for tobacco products and alternatives.
3. The Government requires all tobacco products to comply with the Alliance’s technical standards by 1 January 2024 or face severe penalties.
Armenia raises fines for non-compliant tobacco products
The government of Armenia has recently decided to increase the fines for tobacco products that do not comply with the standards of the Eurasian Economic Union (Е “EK”). The decision, adopted at a government meeting, aims to strengthen market regulation.
Since 2016, Armenia has implemented the technical standards of the Eurasian Economic Union, but the transition period has been extended several times. The final deadline is set for January 1, 2024. After this date, all tobacco products sold on the Armenian market must fully comply with the requirements of the technical regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union. In addition, the government has stipulated that tobacco alternatives are subject to additional standards promulgated by Armenia.
At present, there are still some old packages on the market that only meet the national standards but do not meet the requirements of the Eurasian Economic Union. The Armenian market regulator conducted an inspection and issued fines to some manufacturers and importers.
Two to three years ago, the Armenian National Assembly passed a law requiring all cigarette packs to be white and not to contain any marketing logos. The EAEU’s technical regulations require images of diseases and warnings about the dangers of smoking on packaging.
At present, there is a coexistence of white packaging and packaging with warning images in the Armenian market.
