EU plans tax shock on nicotine pouches – leaked document reveals plans
31st Mar 2025
An internal European Commission document reveals that the EU plans to increase taxes on nicotine pouches by over 500%. If the proposal becomes reality, prices could rise by up to 70% for consumers across Europe – at a time when millions of smokers are looking for less harmful alternatives.
Read the leaked EU document here.
The EU is working against European public health
The EU says it wants to reduce smoking and improve public health – but this tax proposal says something completely different, like media from several countries have reported. Instead of supporting smokers in their efforts to switch to smokeless nicotine products, EU wants to make these products drastically more expensive and less accessible.
It’s not just about economics – it’s about the right of consumers to choose less harmful alternatives, no matter which country they live in.
What does the document say?
The proposed increase is part of the upcoming revision of the Tobacco Excise Directive (TED) – an EU directive that aims to harmonize excise duties on tobacco and nicotine products across the Union.
But in practice, it risks:
– Stifle the market for modern, smoke-free products
– Limiting consumer choice
-Harm public health by making it more difficult to access less harmful alternatives
A European backlash
Behind the tax proposal is pressure from several EU countries – including the Netherlands, Finland and France – who want to see stricter regulation or a ban on nicotine pouches. But exporting a ban model to the whole EU is not the way forward. Not only does it undermine innovation and freedom of choice, it risks worsening public health.
We call for risk-based policies – not collective punishment
Science and public health data show that not all nicotine products are equally harmful. Yet they are often treated as if they are. This tax shock shows how far the EU is from a modern, science-based policy.
We say:
– No to tax policies that ignore health risks
– No to penalizing those who opt out of cigarettes
– Yes to regulation that favors harm reduction
– Yes to freedom of choice for consumers in all EU countries
Make your voice heard – before it’s too late
This is a crucial moment for public health, innovation and your right to choose. If you think the EU’s tax plan on white snus is the wrong way to go – act now.
Email the European Commission directly:
Write to: TAXUD-EXCISE-DUTY@ec.europa.eu
Contact your EU Commissioner:
Find the contact details of your country’s representative here:
https://commissioners.ec.europa.eu/commissioners/2019-2024_en
Ask them to stand up for a modern, science-based policy that distinguishes between different nicotine products – and protects consumers’ right to choose less harmful alternatives.
