Tobacco

The European Court of Justice rejected tobacco firms legal challenge against EU rules that force them to put graphic images on cigarette packages warning people of the dangers of smoking.

Bulgarian lawmakers on Thursday adopted on second reading changes to tobacco legislation banning the sale of tobacco with specific flavor and aroma qualities.

Tobacco used to manually roll cigarettes will only be allowed on the market if it has "natural" aroma or flavor and contains no additional vitamins or caffeine that gives it additional colors.

Bulgarian tobacco growers have vowed to take to the streets unless what they call a "smear campaign" against Bulgartabac, a major tobacco holding group in the country.

Earlier the private company announced it was halting all sales to the Middle East as of April 01, citing an alleged negative media campaign and the "sensitive situation in that region".

The number of teenagers trying alcohol or cigarettes before they turn 14 has dropped, especially among girls, according to a World Health Organization study of 42 well-off nations.    

The Bulgarian customs have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 16.2 tonnes of cut tobacco for smoking across the country's border with Greece and save BGN 2.5 M (EUR 1.27 M) in excise duty.

The tobacco had been discovered by customs officers in a Bulgarian-registered truck at Kulata crossing on the border with Greece, the National Customs Agency said in a statement on Monday.

Local people in the southern Bulgarian city Plovdiv formed a human chain on Monday to stop the demolition of a much loved tobacco warehouse, built in the 1920s.

The destruction of the landmark building by its private owner started on Sunday and provoked outrage from artists, architects and ordinary people in Plovdiv, who organized a protest on social networks.

The Bulgarian government has announced it will submit to Parliament amendments to tobacco legislation that will ban the sale of tobacco products "with specific flavor and aroma qualities" that mislead consumers.

At a cabinet meeting, ministers have added the changes will include new requirements for labeling and packaging tobacco products, including health warnings on the packages.

Bulgaria's parliamentary committee on budget and finance will discuss Thursday a proposed increase in the excise duty on cigarettes.

The measure is envisaged in a set of amendments to the Excise Duties and Tax Warehouses Act, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio.

As of 2016, the excise duty on cigarettes will start increasing, pushing up cigarette prices.

By Anestis Dokas

Historic Greek tobacco producer Papastratos, now a Philip Morris International subsidiary, has seen its exports revert the company to profits in 2014, and is now launching an ambitious investment plan.

The Greek state missed out on total taxes of 2.535 billion euros over the previous seven years (from 2008 to 2014) due to cigarette smuggling, according to an annual European survey on illegal tobacco trading by KPMG.

Last year alone cigarette smuggling grew by 2.8 percentage points of the market to account for 20.6 percent of domestic tobacco transactions.