Overview

• The proposal, presented by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, sets €0.30 per 10 ml for liquids under 15 mg nicotine and €0.50 for those at or above 15 mg.
• If adopted, the measure would take effect in 2026, with reports pointing to either spring or the second half of the year depending on the final parliamentary timetable.
• Given typical retail prices of €5–€7 for 10 ml bottles, a user consuming 60 ml per month would pay roughly €1.80–€3 more each month.
• Vapers and retailers warn the move could deter smoking cessation, threaten roughly 3,500 shops and about 20,000 jobs, and push buyers toward unregulated online or contraband products.
• France’s plan is lower and earlier than the European Commission’s direction for 2028, which signals €1.20–€3.60 per 10 ml, while some health experts caution against discouraging a cessation tool and others flag youth uptake concerns.