Buying vapes from another EU country: what the rules allow
Ordering vaping products from a shop in a different EU member state is legal in some situations and impossible in others, and the deciding factor is almost never the product itself. It is where the shop is licensed, where you live, and whether your country prohibits remote sales.
This guide sets out the framework, then lists the member states where the answer is currently no.
What the TPD does and does not say
Directive 2014/40/EU, the TPD, sets the product baseline: 20 mg/ml maximum nicotine, 2 ml tanks and cartridges, 10 ml refill containers, notification before sale, and a ban on cross-border advertising. Those rules are explained in detail in our TPD Article 20 guide.
What the Directive does not do is create a single market in vape retail. It leaves retail channels and distance selling to national law, and it allows member states to prohibit a product category under Article 24(3). The result is a patchwork.
Member states that prohibit online or remote sales
The following markets cannot lawfully be supplied by a foreign online shop. This is a legal position, not a commercial preference on our part. Southern Europe is a separate case — Portugal and Italy ban online supply while Spain's disposable ban is still only a proposal — compared in the Spain, Portugal, and Italy guide.
| Country | Restriction | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| The Netherlands | Remote sale prohibited since 1 Jul 2023, extended to nicotine-free on 1 Jan 2024 | All vaping products |
| Poland | Remote sale prohibited since 5 Jul 2025 | Devices and liquids, including nicotine-free |
| Austria | Online sale prohibited and tobacco monopoly extended from 1 Apr 2026 | All vaping products |
| Italy | Online sale of nicotine-containing products prohibited | Nicotine products |
| Portugal | Online sale of nicotine-containing products prohibited; flavoured pre-filled pods also banned | Nicotine products |
| Belgium | Online sale to consumers prohibited; disposable ban since 1 Jan 2025 | All vaping products |
Our Poland, Czechia and Sweden guide and the Netherlands explainer cover two of those markets in depth. The full current list always lives on the shipping and restricted countries page.
Why a shop may refuse an order that looks perfectly legal
A shop has to be satisfied that the supply is lawful both where it is established and where the product lands. Three things typically trigger a refusal:
- The destination bans remote sale. The most common reason, and the one that generates the most support tickets.
- The product format is banned at destination. A disposable device may be lawful in Germany and unlawful to sell in France or Belgium. Our bans overview tracks the dates.
- The flavour or nicotine strength is restricted at destination. Several member states permit only tobacco, or tobacco and menthol. See the flavour bans guide.
VAT and excise inside the EU
Goods moving between EU member states do not attract customs duty, but they do attract VAT and, in an increasing number of countries, excise on e-liquid. Buying from stock held inside the EU — for example our EU warehouse range — avoids any import stage entirely. Cross-border B2C sales are generally handled through the EU's distance-selling arrangements, which means VAT is charged at the rate of the destination country rather than the shop's country.
Excise is the newer complication. Ireland's E-Liquid Products Tax, at €0.50 per ml, is the clearest example and is described in our Ireland guide. Germany's position is set out in the German tax explainer, and the wider picture in EU vape tax compared.
If you are a business rather than a consumer, the reverse-charge and invoicing mechanics are covered in VAT invoices for vape orders.
Age verification when the shop is abroad
Every member state sets a minimum age of sale, and the requirement sits with the seller. A shop shipping cross-border therefore has to verify age at the point of sale and, increasingly, at delivery. Germany's system — where carriers check identification on age-restricted parcels — is described in the age check guide.
Checklist before you order from another EU country
- Confirm your country does not prohibit remote sale of vaping products.
- Confirm the format you want is lawful to sell where you live.
- Confirm the flavour is permitted.
- Check the maximum nicotine strength your market allows — the EU ceiling is 20 mg/ml, but national rules can be tighter.
- Expect to show identification at delivery.
- Keep the invoice; it is what you need if a parcel goes missing, as set out in your rights on damaged parcels.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to buy vapes from another EU country?
Not in itself. It becomes impossible when your country prohibits remote sale, which is the case in the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Italy, Portugal and Belgium as described above.
Do I pay customs on a vape parcel from the EU?
No. Customs duty applies to goods entering from outside the EU. Within the EU you pay VAT, and where applicable excise, rather than duty. See VAT and customs on vape parcels.
Can a shop charge me the tax of my own country?
Under the EU distance-selling rules, VAT is due at the destination rate. Excise treatment varies by country and product.
Why was my order cancelled with no explanation?
Almost always because the destination is on a restricted list. Our avoid shipping scams guide explains how to tell a genuine restriction from a fraudulent "shop".
Does Brexit change ordering from the EU?
Yes. The UK is no longer in the EU customs union, so parcels to the UK attract duty and VAT and require customs declarations. See Norway and the UK.
