UAE to Ban Imports of Shisha or E-Cigarettes Without E-Labels From March

On February 26, according to a report from the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, information from the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in the United Arab Emirates shows that starting this March, the UAE will ban shisha and e-cigarettes without electronic labels.

Following last year’s requirement that all cigarette products carry electronic label markings, the UAE Federal Tax Authority announced that from March 1, 2020, the UAE will prohibit the import of any type of shisha or e-cigarettes that do not have electronic labels.

This is the second phase of the “Marking Tobacco and Tobacco Products Scheme.” Electronic labels make it possible to track products throughout the entire process from the manufacturing plant to the end consumer, ensuring that manufacturers and importers fulfill their excise tax obligations. The tax authority will work with De La Rue, which will provide the operating system and apply the electronic labels to imported and domestically produced goods as proof that all excise taxes have been paid.

The UAE began imposing excise tax in October 2017 on goods considered harmful to health, including carbonated drinks, energy drinks, and tobacco products. From November 1, 2019, e-cigarettes, shisha, and sweetened beverages were also brought into the excise tax regime. The excise tax on tobacco products is implemented through the “Marking Tobacco and Tobacco Products Scheme.”