ArmInfo.The Armenian government proposes to tighten rules for manufacturers and importers of tobacco products. The NA Standing Committee on Economic Issues discussed the proposed amendments to the Code on Administrative Offenses in the second reading at an extraordinary meeting on May 12.
Presenting the bill, Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan the recalled that since January 1, 2024, the requirements set forth in the Customs Union's "Technical Regulations on Tobacco Products" for tobacco products have been in effect. According to them, consumer packs of tobacco products must have graphic warning images that will inform consumers about the dangers of smoking. The Minister noted that during 2024, a number of manufacturers and importers did not follow these rules, a number of organizations in the market did not bring their products into line with the established requirements for various reasons, preferring to pay the established fine of 400,000 drams, as a result of which unfair competitive conditions were created for conscientious business operators.
Gevorg Papoyan informed that the Government proposes to tighten the regulations. In particular, it is proposed to establish that the production or import of tobacco products or tobacco product substitutes that do not meet the requirements of technical regulations for sale in Armenia shall entail the imposition of a fine on the manufacturer and importer in the amount of one percent of the sales turnover of the year preceding the given offense. According to the draft law adopted in the first reading, it was imposed in the amount of one percent of the revenue of the manufacturer and importer in the year preceding the given offense.
The next proposal concerns the sale in Armenia of tobacco products or tobacco product substitutes that do not meet the requirements of technical regulations. The government is proposed to set the fine for the seller at six hundred to nine hundred times the minimum wage. It should be noted that in the draft law adopted in the first reading, it was envisaged at seven hundred to one thousand times the minimum wage for the seller. The committee gave a positive opinion to the amended bill submitted for second reading.
