Key Takeaways
- The European Commission has formally approved Bulgarian legislation banning disposable e-cigarettes.
- The decision was published on the European Commission’s website on March 16, 2026.
- The publication starts a three-month market phase-out period for disposable vapes.
- The Commission concluded that the measure is justified, necessary and proportionate for public health protection.
- Bulgaria said one in four students aged 13 to 15 uses vape products.
2Firsts, March 17, 2026
According to the original report, the European Commission has officially published its decision approving Bulgarian legislation banning the placing on the market, offering and sale of disposable electronic cigarettes, or so-called vapes.
The decision was issued in accordance with the requirements of the Tobacco Products Directive and was officially uploaded to the Commission’s website on March 16. This marks the key point from which the three-month period for the market phase-out of disposable vapes begins to run, while the period for objections to Bulgaria’s notification to the European Commission under the directive on technical barriers to trade had already expired at the end of January.
Under EU rules, each member state must notify the Commission and the other member states of national legislative initiatives that introduce stricter regulatory requirements than those set out in EU directives, while explaining the need for such measures and the reasons behind them.
According to the provisions of the Law on Tobacco, Tobacco and Related Products, adopted by the Bulgarian National Assembly at the end of June 2025 and promulgated on July 4, 2025, the law enters into force upon the expiry of the objection periods of the European Commission.
As for why Bulgaria requested the ban on disposable electronic cigarettes, the reasons set out in the notifications submitted by the Bulgarian authorities to Brussels state that in recent years there has been a significant increase in the use of disposable electronic cigarettes among school students in the country. Survey data show that in Bulgaria, one in four students aged 13 to 15 uses vape products.
The notification also states that disposable electronic cigarettes often come in bright packaging, fruit flavors and are sold at much lower prices than reusable products, making them easily accessible to teenagers.
The Bulgarian authorities also said there is a health risk to children because of nicotine’s negative impact on adolescent brain development, respiratory problems and exposure to harmful substances. In addition, disposable e-cigarettes generate significant waste, including plastic, batteries and hazardous chemicals, contributing to environmental pollution.
After analysing the evidence submitted on the need for the ban and the legal framework, the European Commission concluded that the Bulgarian measure is justified, necessary and proportionate for the protection of public health.
The Commission also said the ban is suitable for preventing the emergence of a “new generation dependent on nicotine.” It further noted that existing measures — including the ban on sales to and by persons under 18 years of age, a full ban on online sales and a ban on advertising — had not been sufficient to address the problem of minors’ access to these products.
With the Commission’s approval, Bulgaria may now apply the provisions of the law, which provide for a mechanism for declaring existing stock, a three-month period for clearing products from the market, and, if the products cannot be exhausted within that period, their withdrawal from retail outlets, while allowing the products to be exported out of the country.
The original report also said that Bulgaria is the third EU country after France and Belgium to take such a strict measure against disposable electronic cigarettes. The issue is gaining momentum in Europe because of rising levels of use among minors.
Image source: Ruse.news
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