Top Takeaways:

• The Dutch government plans steep fine increases—up to €4,040—for illegal vape and cigarette sales beginning July 1, 2026, pending parliamentary approval.
• Regulators say illicit vape sales remain widespread despite bans on flavors, online sales, and non-specialist retail channels; authorities seized tens of thousands of illegal devices in 2024–2025.
• The tougher penalties align with the Netherlands’ broader roadmap to phase out tobacco retail availability and curb youth access to nicotine products.

The outgoing Dutch government has proposed a significant increase in fines for the illegal sale of vapes and cigarettes, representing one of the largest enforcement escalations in recent years.

Under the plan—announced this week and requiring approval from both chambers of Parliament—first-time offenders would face penalties of $2,040, rising to $3,060 for a second violation. Large companies with more than 50 employees could be fined $4,040, Dutch News reported. If approved, the changes would take effect on July 1, 2026, and would apply to violations of the Netherlands’ Tobacco and Smoking Products Act.

Caretaker Health Minister Judith Tielen said the proposal aims to send a clear message that illegal sales will no longer be treated as minor administrative issues.

“Selling illegal vapes will cost you dearly, even for a first offense,” she stated, emphasizing that the sharp increases are intended to target repeat offenders as well as shops and distributors involved in online and informal market sales. Dutch regulators report that illegal vape and cigarette sales remain common despite bans on distance sales, flavored e-liquids, and restrictions on retail availability.

The Netherlands has some of the strictest vape regulations in the European Union. Since 2023, online sales of e-cigarettes and e-liquids have been banned, making the Netherlands one of the few EU countries with a complete national ban on online vape purchases. A ban on all non-tobacco flavors for e-liquids took effect in 2024, stopping the sale of fruit, mint, candy, dessert, and menthol-flavored products.

Vape products are also limited in where they can be sold, following a broader government plan to phase out tobacco and nicotine sales in general retail outlets. Tobacco sales are already being removed from supermarkets, with petrol station sales set to be phased out by 2030 and most tobacco retailing expected to be limited to specialist shops by 2032.

Despite this tightening regulatory framework, enforcement officials say illegal vape sales have remained persistent, particularly through small convenience shops, informal retailers, and social media platforms. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), the primary enforcement agency, has reported several major seizures over the past two years.

In 2024 and early 2025, NVWA teams confiscated 10s of 1,000s of illegal vapes, including flavored disposable devices that violate Dutch product standards and registration requirements.

Regulators have also raised concerns about illegal online sellers who keep targeting Dutch consumers through encrypted messaging apps and platforms like Snapchat, bypassing the national ban on remote sales.

According to the NVWA, illegal vape products often fail to meet mandatory ingredient disclosure, design standards, or nicotine concentration limits, and many are unregistered imports from outside the EU.

Dutch News and NVWA reports indicate that the products frequently enter the country through small parcel shipments, informal distribution networks, or bulk shipments passing through neighboring EU countries before reaching Dutch stores.

Officials say that increasing fines is expected to boost enforcement tools and make illegal sales less profitable. The current fine structure imposes penalties starting at around $1,300 for first-time violations, an amount regulators have long argued is too small to prevent repeat offenders.

Some local authorities have reported cases of shops continuing to sell illegal flavored disposables even after being fined, citing consumer demand and the low cost of penalties compared to profit margins.

Public health organizations, including anti-smoking groups and youth-prevention advocates, welcomed the proposed increases. These groups have argued that illegal flavored vapes continue to undermine Dutch regulatory goals, especially efforts to reduce youth experimentation.

Several NGOs have also urged the government to expand inspection staffing at the NVWA, noting that enforcement capacity has struggled to keep up with the size of the illicit market.

Retailer reactions have been mixed. Compliant specialty vape shops support higher fines, arguing stricter penalties are necessary to protect legal businesses that follow Dutch product and marketing rules. However, some small shop owners say regulations are becoming increasingly hard to navigate, especially with flavor bans, packaging rules, registration requirements, and changing retail restrictions.

Retail trade associations plan to raise these concerns when the proposal is reviewed by parliament.

The proposal now needs to pass through the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) and the Eerste Kamer (Senate). While broad political support is expected, lawmakers are likely to debate enforcement capacity, the fairness of fines, and whether additional measures—such as license suspensions or criminal penalties—may be necessary for repeat offenders.

If approved, the Netherlands would become one of the first EU countries to impose fines of four figures specifically targeting the illegal sale of vaping products in both small and large retail outlets.