The ban on vaping in Bulgaria is set to be enforced, but only after receiving the green light from Brussels. This emerged following the meeting of the parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy and Innovation, which discussed the second reading of amendments to the Law on Tobacco, Tobacco and Related Products.
The bill, proposed by Kostadin Angelov from GERB (Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria) in February, calls for a full ban on the sale, use, and advertisement of vaping products, as well as energy drinks targeted at minors, according to the Bulgarian News Agency.
Petar Kanev, chair of the Committee and member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party Parliamentary Group – United Left, described the legislation as one of the most anticipated in recent times. In February, the parliament approved the bill at the first reading with overwhelming support, gathering 197 votes in favor.
During the committee session, members discussed the timeline for the bill’s enforcement, taking into account the requirement to notify the European Commission about specific provisions. They agreed that while the draft would proceed to the second reading in parliament, it would not come into effect until formal notification from Brussels is obtained.
