In a change that will favour vaping consumers today, Italy has adjusted its tax on e-liquids for the fourth time in four years.

The tax rate on e-liquids containing nicotine will decrease from €0.175 (U.S. equivalent: $0.19) per millilitre to €0.13, and the zero-nicotine e-liquid tax will fall from €0.13/mL to €0.08. The new, lower tax rates are in line with the levels set in 2021 (these levels had seen an increase in January 2022).

Italy has experienced a turbulent history when it comes to vaping products. In 2014, the Government made vapes as expensive as cigarettes, which meant that 75% of the ‘thriving’ vape industry had been wiped out. The tax was the highest in the EU, which almost doubled the price of e-liquid. This meant that vapers were now seeking the black market and some returned to smoking.

However, in 2019 the vaping community applied pressure to the Parliamentary legislators and they finally reduced the tax rate by 80%, to a far more reasonable €0.08 per mL for e-liquids containing nicotine, and €0.04 for nicotine-free e-juices. However, last year the legislators increased the tax yet again, only to (finally) reduce them today.

References

1. Vaping 360: https://vaping360.com/vape-news/113815/italy-will-reduce-e-liquid-tax-april-1st/