Cyprus cigarette prices may climb to €6.50 under EU tobacco tax plan
A pack could cost between €6 and €6.50 if Brussels pushes through a tobacco tax overhaul, a customs spokesman says, though no EU deal exists yet and any rise would come gradually.
A standard pack of cigarettes in Cyprus, currently selling for €4 to €4.50, could reach €6 to €6.50 under a tobacco taxation review being discussed in Brussels, according to customs department spokesman Giorgos Constantinou, as reported by Politis radio.
He told the station that EU finance ministers at Ecofin have not clinched a deal, so neither the new rates nor final shelf prices can be fixed yet. Cyprus, which last adjusted tobacco excise in 2011 and applies among the lowest rates the EU allows, has argued for modest increases.
“We are not going to see prices of €10 or €13,” Constantinou said.
He cited public health pressure from the World Health Organisation, big tax gaps between member states, and newer products such as nicotine pouches, heated tobacco and vaping liquids that current rules do not cover properly. All 27 states accept that transitional periods should soften the impact, he added.
What it means for residents
For smokers on the island, the change would be felt at the till rather than overnight: the plan on the table spreads any increase over time instead of applying it in one go. Nothing changes until EU ministers reach agreement, so today's prices still stand.
- Budget ahead A pack at €6–€6.50 would be roughly a third more than today's €4–€4.50, so regular smokers may want to factor that into monthly spending.
- Wider scope Heated tobacco, nicotine pouches and vaping liquids are also in line for similar treatment, not just cigarettes.
- No deadline With no Ecofin deal, there is no date to plan around — watch for announcements rather than acting on rumours of immediate price jumps.
This text is written from the source article and is not a translation of it.
