Germany Just Made Its Vape Tax Steeper, and Faster
German vapers are about to pay a lot more at the counter. On October 14, the Bundestag Finance Committee approved an amendment to the tobacco tax bill (Tabaksteuernovelle) that accelerates the e-liquid excise hike. The bill was set for a full plenary vote on October 15, with a Bundesrat veto seen as unlikely.
The excise applies to all vaping liquids. It currently sits at 32 cents per ml, already up from 26 cents last year. Under the approved schedule, the levy jumps to 38 cents per ml in 2027 and climbs to 44 cents per ml by 2030. That overrules the Finance Ministry, which wanted to cap the levy at 36 cents by 2030. The coalition pushed the tighter schedule citing federal budget pressure.
| E-liquid excise | 2026 (now) | Ministry proposal (2030) | Approved (2027) | Approved (2030) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate per ml | 32 cents | 36 cents | 38 cents | 44 cents |
Cigarettes are rising too. A 20-pack averaging about 8.05 euros now is projected to reach roughly 9.10 euros in 2027 and about 11.78 euros by 2030. The government projects about 1.5 billion euros in extra revenue in 2027, rising to roughly 4.5 billion euros annually by 2030.
The math hits bottles directly. The increases alone add 1.43 euros to a typical 10ml bottle within four years. Dustin Dahlmann of the Alliance for Tobacco-Free Enjoyment (BfTG) says a typical 10ml liquid costs around 12 euros now and will likely sit just under 15 euros by 2030 once energy, wage and logistics rises are included, and retailers absorb none of it as margin.
Horst Winkler of the E-Cigarette Trade Association (VdeH) called the last-minute hikes an economic stimulus program for the black market, warning the legal specialist trade is burdened while illegal sellers undercut prices, which undermines youth protection. A Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf Debra study puts the number of people vaping in Germany at roughly 1.7 million.
Germany and France Move in Opposite Directions
The contrast with France is sharp. France left any new vape tax out of its 2027 budget draft, while Germany doubles down. France left new vape tax out of its 2027 plans in a move covered earlier this week. Tax-driven pricing is now a live issue across Europe, and the UK vape tax rules show how differently governments are pricing e-liquid.
Source: reporting by stagvape.com, October 15, 2026, corroborated by particle.news and ecigator.