On May 7, The Hall of Vape in Stuttgart, Germany, has closed. During the two-day exhibition, German customs officers have been carrying out enforcement actions to inspect the various E-cigarette booths. The exhibition has become a key area of supervision and seems to be a new trend of law enforcement. At the Italian E-cigarette fair Vapitaly, 27-29 May, the Italian Customs has a special booth; At last year's IECIE electronics Show in Indonesia, the customs also conducted a tax mark inspection at the site.

Germany exhibition strict enforcement action

The enforcement action at the E-cigarette show in Stuttgart is a further sign of the increased regulation and enforcement of E-cigarettes(Heat not burn products) in Germany.

The inspection of this exhibition is mainly for the products without tax mark and customs declaration materials. Confiscation of products without tax labels and a fine of 800 euros; Those who fail to pay the fine will be taken away from the exhibition site.

The tax mark in question is a mark used to show that the relevant tax has been paid. Tax markers can help governments regulate tax revenue and crack down on tax evasion and other abuses.

According to relevant policies of Germany, all tobacco oil products sold in Germany need to be labeled with tax label; If the products are not sold on the market, as samples, gifts or exhibition products, customs declaration documents are required. If the inspection product does not have the above two points, it will be confiscated.

Customs officers inspected not only the exhibits on the table, but also the products placed under the stage. Several boxes of vape exhibits at the stand of Italian E-cigarette brand KIWI were confiscated by customs for lack of tax labels or declaration materials. JUICE N POWER, VABAR and other brands also had their products confiscated, but the exact number was not immediately clear.

Exhibition law enforcement has become a priority

The enforcement action at the E-cigarette show in Stuttgart, Germany, is not unique.

Recently, law enforcement has been increasingly involved in E-cigarette(heated tobacco) shows. The measures for exhibitors are a further sign that tighter regulation is becoming a global consensus among governments.

At the upcoming Italian E-cigarette fair Vapitaly (27-29 May), Italian customs and monopoly officials have set up booths where exhibitors can meet and exchange views, and customs and monopoly authorities will respond to exhibitors' questions on the spot.

Will the Birmingham E-cigarette Show be subject to law enforcement?

Prior to the IECIE 2022 vaping Show in Jakarta, Indonesia, exhibitors were informed that vaping products should have a tax label.

IECIE's staff distributed notices to each booth stating that, in accordance with the Indonesian government's regulatory requirements, products containing e-vape must obtain a excise duty label before they can be sold and displayed at the show.

Birmingham Vape Show to face law enforcement?

Britain, also one of Europe's key vaping markets, will host an E-cigarette show on May 12. Since March this year, the UK E-cigarette(heating device) market has come under both public and regulatory pressure after the incident. The UK government and the E-cigarette Association have vowed to tighten regulations on E-cigarettes and have launched enforcement plans.

Prime Minister Sunak has previously told the media that he plans to set up an "illegal E-cigarette enforcement team" and will spend millions of pounds to ensure all the rules are enforced.

The Birmingham show is the first major E-cigarette show in the UK since the announcement, and many exhibitors are concerned about the law enforcement regulation of the UK government.

Exhibitors have learned about the tax target regulations of this E-cigarette exhibition through various channels. In addition, the inspection of non-compliant products is expected to be a focus of enforcement following the enforcement action at the E-cigarette show in Stuttgart, Germany.