The Sector Economy and Economic Policy Committee discussed the Draft Law on Tobacco Control, introduced by MP Isko Daseni, elucidating that the Draft establishes a prohibition on the sale/display of tobacco products without standardized packaging as of December 31, 2022.

The extension of the regulations to June 31, 2024, allows the companies to adapt to reality without drastic losses. At that, the Draft allows the prevention of illegal trade, increased inflow of smuggling, reduction of legal sales and additional deficit on the budget incomes.

“Since 2017, the companies producing tobacco have been forced to get adapted to the legislation for 5 years and currently, we have remaining the enactment of the commitment solely on sale without the standardized packaging, envisaging the packaging, packaging color, scripts and signs, surface, voice and aroma, bed-papers and foil, shape, form, size and opening, standardized packaging of a box or single cigarettes, while new changes allow the companies to get adapted to the reality, which is the circumstance related to the war in Ukraine”, - he stated noting that the Draft is submitted for summary consideration.

The Committee approved the Draft.