Electronic tobacco control system to be launched in Ukraine on 1 January 2026

Recently, the Law implementing the provisions of the European Directive 2014/40/EU and introducing the European approach to controlling the supply chain of tobacco products through an electronic tracking system has come into force.

“The most effective tool in the fight against smoking is price. It makes tobacco products less affordable and motivates smokers to quit more actively. However, can we talk about the effectiveness of the 7-year plan to increase excise taxes to the minimum European level of taxation when every 5th pack of cigarettes sold in Ukraine is illegal? The introduction of an electronic tobacco labeling system will help fight smuggling and counterfeiting more effectively, while reducing the availability of tobacco to Ukrainians. Ultimately, this will allow us to save thousands of lives,” said Maryna Slobodnichenko, Deputy Minister for European Integration.

The law stipulates that starting from 1 January 2026, an electronic tobacco product tracking system will be launched in Ukraine, and each pack of cigarettes will have a unique electronic identifier and protection element that will be entered into a single electronic system instead of a paper excise stamp. This will make it possible to establish the place and time of production, track the movement, place of sale and check whether all taxes have been paid for each particular pack.

The electronic tobacco product tracking system will also be a practical tool for consumers, as it allows every citizen to identify products and check the legality of their origin.

It should be recalled that on 11 July 2023, two important European anti-tobacco integration regulations came into force: a ban on the sale of tobacco products with flavoring and other additives, as well as a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising. Fines of UAH 20,000 and UAH 30,000 are imposed for non-compliance with these regulations, and UAH 50,000 for repeated violations within a year.