G/TBT/N/EST/11  
 
14 December  2016  
(16-6814) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original : English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member : ESTONIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved  (Article 3.2 and 7.2) : 
2. Agency responsible:  
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Commu nications  
Telephone : + 372 625 6405  
Fax: + 372 631 3029  
Mail: el.teavitamine@mkm.ee   
http://www.mkm.ee   
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification  shall be indicated if different from above : 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], other : 
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable) : Tobacco products  
5. Title, number of pages  and language(s)  of the notified document : Tobacco Act Draft 
Legislative Provision (6 pages, in  Estonian)  
6. Description of content : The Draft Legislative Provision contains the following changes in 
the Estonian Tobacco Act : non-nicotine electronic cigarettes should comply with the 
ingredient requirements of  § 81 of the Estonian Tobacco Act:  
The ni cotine -containing liquid shall not contain nicotine in excess of 20 mg/ml.  
The nicotine -containing liquid shall not con tain the following substances:  
1) Vitamins or other additives that create the impression that a product has a health 
benefit or presents red uced health risks;  
2) Caffeine, taurine or other additives and stimulant compounds that are associ ated 
with energy and vitality;  
3) Additives having colou ring properties for emissions;  
4) Substances that pose a risk to human health in heated or unhea ted form, excep t for 
nicotine.  
Only ingredients of high purity are used in the manufacture of the nicotine -containing 
liquid of electronic cigarettes. Substances other than the ingredients listed on the 
packaging are only present in the liquid in trace levels, if such tr aces are technically 
unavoidable during manuf acture.  
The nicotine -containing or non -nicotine electronic cigarette liquid is not allowed to have 
other flavour or taste than tobacco.  
The domestic distance sales of tobacco and related products are prohibited,  including 
domestic sales via internet, phone, catalogue and other similar ways. The cross -border 
distance sales are also prohibited for non -nicotine e -cigarettes.  G/TBT/N/EST/11  
 
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  It is not allowed to display tobacco or related products in points of sal e nor expose their 
trademarks.  
Sales promotion of tobacco related products is prohibited similarly to tobacco products as 
described in the Draft Legislative Provision point 19, including the prohibition to sell 
tobacco -related products in the same  package with another produc t. 
The rotation date of the Combined Health Warnings shall be from 1 January 2018.  
7. Objective and rationale , including the nature of ur gent problems where 
applicable : The main objective of the Draft Legislative Provision is to protect people's 
health an d especially the health of adolescents and young people. The aim is to take 
preventive measures for taking up tobacco or related products' use, to decrease the 
attractiveness and promotion of these products, especially to the minors, to minimize the 
potent ial harm and health risks resulting from the passive use of these products and to 
minimize their attainability to the minors and their attainability in general. Our approach is 
to treat similarly used products similarly as another goal of this Draft Legisl ative Provision 
is to prevent and minimize the dependence, risks and harm result ing from the use of 
tobacco and related products in the Estonian society. According to the Estonian Health 
Board that is a competent authority in the tobacco and related produc ts' ingredients 
notifications, there are over 7335 different nicotine containing and non -nicotine e -liquids in 
the Estonian market. As the number of e -cigarette users among the population and also 
among minors is rising, this is a growing concern, as the d ifferent flavoured e -liquids are 
especially attractive to adolescents and minors.  
8. Relevant documents : – 
9. Proposed date of adoption : – 
Proposed date of entry into force : – 
10. Final date for comments : 90 days from the day of notification  
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point  [X] or address, telephone and fax 
number s and e mail and website address es, if available , of other body :