Belarus

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

COMMENTS: Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 20 October 2000, No. 174, Approval of Internal Regulations, Correctional Institutions governs inmate life in prisons and, among other things, prohibits smoking in non-smoking areas. Note that the English Translation includes relevant excerpts only. Both versions include amendments through Decree No. 321 of November 5, 2008.

COMMENTS: GOST 3935-2000, Inter-state Standard Cigarettes General specifications are inter-state regulations on packaging and labeling of cigarettes adopted by the Inter-State Council on Standardization, Metrology and Certification. These standards were adopted by and apply in 11 countries including Belarus. GOST 3935-2000 has been amended several times, including this amendment.

COMMENTS: Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus, December 17, 2002 No. 28, About State Regulation of the Production, Trafficking and Consumption of Tobacco Raw Material and Tobacco Products (as amended through January 2019) regulates the production, distribution and consumption of e-cigarettes and tobacco products, including heated tobacco products.

Note that both versions are consolidated to include amendments through Decree No. 2 of 2019. Subsequent amendments under Decree No. 2 of May 21, 2020 are uploaded separately below.

COMMENTS: GOST 3935-2000, Inter-state Standard Cigarettes General specifications are inter-state regulations on packaging and labeling of cigarettes adopted by the Inter-State Council on Standardization, Metrology and Certification. These standards were adopted by and apply in 11 countries including Belarus. GOST 3935-2000 has been amended several times, most recently by Amendment No. 4 in December 2008.

Requirements around health warnings have largely been replaced by the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Technical Regulations for Tobacco Product (TR TC 035/2015) and EEC Council Decision No. 18.

COMMENTS: The Code on Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus, 21 April 2003, No. 194-Z defines which actions are administrative offenses, specifies the grounds and conditions of administrative liability and establishes administrative penalties, including penalties for violations of smoke-free provisions, health warning requirements, and tobacco advertising and promotion provisions. Note that the English Translation includes relevant excerpts only. Both versions include amendments through Act of December 18, 2019, No. 276-Z.

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

COMMENTS: Law of the Republic of Belarus on Advertising, 10 May 2007, No. 225-Z, as amended through April 2014, regulates advertising generally, including tobacco advertising. Article 17.3 of the law regulates tobacco advertising and promotion.

Note that the English Translation includes relevant excerpts only. Both versions include amendments through Act of April 23, 2014, No. 132-W.

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

COMMENTS: GOST 3935-2000 Amendment No. 4 regulates the packaging and labeling of cigarettes and provides the content, size and placement of health warnings. The amendments require health warnings on cigarette packages of not less then 30% of the principal display areas.

COMMENTS: Ministry of Internal Affairs Resolution No. 47 of March 1, 2010, Conferring authority to officials of internal affairs bodies on the protocol on administrative offense and the preparation of cases on administrative violations for consideration authorizes the Ministry of Internal Affairs as the enforcement authority for violations of tobacco control laws and regulations, including regulations on smoking in public places, tobacco packaging and labeling, and tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

COMMENTS: Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 450 of September 1, 2010 on Licensing Certain Types of Activities regulates licensing of tobacco production, wholesale trade of tobacco products, and retail trade of tobacco products.

COMMENTS: Ministry of Health Ruling No. 111, November 3, 2011, amends numerous rules of the Ministry of Health to restrict smoking to designated areas in a wide variety of specified places. The uploaded files contain amendments through June 2015.

COMMENTS: "Technical Regulations for Tobacco Products" 12 November 2014, No. 107 were issued by the European Economic Commission Council and regulate, among other things, tobacco product packaging and labeling. The Technical Regulations do not need to be adopted through implementing legislation, however the final date for compliance with most of the provisions is November 15, 2017. The regulations apply to all members of the Eurasian Economic Union.

COMMENTS: Decision No. 53 provides transitional provisions for the implementation of the "Technical Regulations for Tobacco Products" of 12 November 2014, No. 107. The final date for implementation of most of the regulations is November 15, 2017.

COMMENTS: Law of the Republic of Belarus, July 10, 2015, No 285-W, On Amendments and Additions to the Law of Belarus "On Advertising" amends Art. 10 of the Law on Advertising to prohibit brand stretching.

COMMENTS: Decision No. 18 of the Eurasian Economic Commission implements paragraph 27 of the Technical Regulations for Tobacco Products and regulates the format and position of picture and text warnings, as well as the images to be used, on tobacco product packaging. The required warnings and images must appear on all tobacco product packages for retail sale by November 15, 2017. The Decision applies to all members of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Note: This law has not been reviewed by our legal staff and was not relied upon for purposes of our analysis. We are providing it here for informational purposes only.

COMMENTS: Ministry of Health Resolution No. 35 contains requirements on the placement of "No Smoking" signs and details about the signs' contents, including a sample sign.

COMMENTS: Decree No. 2 of May 21, 2020 amends several pieces of legislation. Relevant to tobacco control, it amends Decree No. 28 of December 17, 2002 to extend the ban on sales to minors to e-cigarette devices as well as e-liquids and tobacco products.

COMMENTS: Council of Ministers Resolution No. 8 of January 6, 2022 amends Council of Ministers Resolution No. 849 of October 21, 2016 on Measures for Mandatory Confirmation of Conformity. As it relates to tobacco and nicotine products, the amendments establish standard, such as health warnings and maximum nicotine content, for oral nicotine products and e-cigarettes.