Where the law stands, Dossier 2025/0581(CNS)
General arrangements for excise duty applied to tobacco and tobacco related products
Amending Directive (EU) 2020/262 as regards the general arrangements for excise duty in respect of tobacco and tobacco related products
Consultation procedure (CNS): Parliament gives an opinion; the Council decides. · Parliament gives its opinion on a proposal. The Council decides, but must wait for Parliament’s opinion. · First reading
Parliament is consulted: it gives an opinion and can propose amendments, but the Council takes the decision and need not follow them.
Where it stands
Plenary vote
Parliament gave its opinion on 17 June 2026. The Council takes the final decision.
- Referred to committee(done) 15 December 2025
- Committee work(done) Report adopted 3 June 2026
- Tabled for plenary(done) 8 June 2026
- Plenary vote(done) Adopted 17 June 2026
- Adopted by the Council(to come)
Decided in plenary
17 June 2026 · decision 4
Economy & single market, New EU law
General arrangements for excise duty applied to tobacco and tobacco related products
Passed 325 for · 304 against · 29 abstained narrowly
AI summary:The adopted text backs a gradual rise in minimum tax rates, adjusts how rates are calculated, and extends the transition period to end-2032.
What changed
Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament
AI summary:The amendment introduces specific quantity limits for tobacco products in Article 32(3)(a).
Committee draft → Tabled for plenary
AI summary:Adds two new recitals requiring new tobacco categories to be included in guide levels and aligned with existing ones. The other change is wording: a rapporteur's note is replaced by a formal footnote placeholder.
Who works on it
- Lead committee
- Economic and Monetary Affairs
- The MEP who drafts the report and negotiates it on behalf of the committee.
- Tomáš Kubín (Patriots)
- An MEP who follows a report on behalf of their own group when another group holds the rapporteur.
- Marco Falcone (EPP), César Luena (S&D), Francesco Ventola (ECR), Billy Kelleher (Renew), Rasmus Andresen (Greens), Gaetano Pedulla' (The Left), Rada Laykova (ESN)
The text, version by version
Newest first.
Adopted by Parliament· 17 Jun 2026
AI summary:Parliament approves the Commission proposal, as amended, on general arrangements for excise duty on tobacco and related products. It calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly and on the Council to notify Parliament if it departs from the text.
Tabled for plenary· 8 Jun 2026
AI summary:Parliament approves the Commission proposal as amended, adding new excise duty categories to guide levels for private acquisitions and adjusting guide levels for tobacco and related products.
Committee draft· 5 Mar 2026
AI summary:This draft report proposes amendments to the Commission's proposal for a Council directive on excise duty for tobacco and tobacco-related products. It approves the proposal as amended, adding new product categories to guide levels and adjusting taxation rules.
Timeline
Newest first.
Plenary stage 3 steps
17 June 2026
Plenary vote
Sitting of 17 Jun 2026 Adopted text TA10-0212/2026Report A10-0160/2026
10 June 2026
4 amendments tabled for the plenary vote
Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.
8 June 2026
Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
Committee stage 4 steps
3 June 2026
Committee vote: report adopted
ECON (Economic and Monetary Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
15 April 2026
Amendments tabled in committee
Members of ECON (Economic and Monetary Affairs) proposed changes to the draft.
5 March 2026
Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in ECON (Economic and Monetary Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
15 December 2025
Referred to the ECON (Economic and Monetary Affairs) committee
The lead committee prepares Parliament’s report.
Official record: Legislative Observatory, 2025/0581(CNS)