The Italian government has challenged plans by the Department of Health to ban disposable vapes, criticising the proposed Irish law as a disproportionate attempt at “total prohibition”. In a rare intervention, Italy has formally complained to the European Commission that the draft Irish legislation “lacks scientific evidence” and would breach rules governing the EU’s single market. The submission from Rome, seen by The Irish Times, said the proposed ban on single-use vapes was “significantly at odds” with EU law. The submission said the proposed Irish ban would amount to an unjustified restriction on the free movement of goods within the EU market. The organisation said it did not represent “so-called big tobacco” and its members had “legitimate concerns” about the Government’s plan to ban single-use vapes.

Source: The Irish Times April 10, 2026 11:27 UTC