With smoking remaining the greatest health risk and responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, cigarette prices are set to rise. Tobacco taxation is on the agenda of the European Union’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council and is expected to be discussed next Monday.
The proposed changes
Among the changes being proposed and expected to be discussed is an increase in minimum tax rates to reduce the disparity in rates applied across member states. The European Union’s minimum rate will be adjusted according to each member state’s economic situation, based on price levels.
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At the same time, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products will not be left out. These products will be subject to new minimum taxes. These changes will not leave Cyprus unaffected, which is among the countries that will have to raise the minimum excise tax rates on cigarettes in order to comply with the new regulations. Along with Greece, Hungary, and Bulgaria. In Greece, in fact, it is estimated that a pack of cigarettes will cost 6.5 euros.
The European Commission’s goal and the situation in Cyprus
The decisions to be made are also intended to help achieve the goal set by the European Commission. The goal is to reduce the number of smokers in Europe—something that does not appear to be happening at a rapid pace—and specifically to ensure that less than 5% of the population smokes by 2040. This target is included in the European plan to combat cancer.
However, the latest Eurostat data for Cyprus show that in 2025, 22.6% of people aged 16 and older used tobacco and related products daily.
This percentage is actually higher than the European Union average, which stood at 16.5%.
These products include e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco products.
Watch the report by Nasia Ioannou:
