The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is an international treaty that sets global standards for national tobacco control measures. It is widely seen as a major achievement of the global community in the area of public health. However, the emergence of e-cigarettes poses serious conceptual challenges for the Parties as to their proper classification (and subsequent legal treatment) under the Convention. In this context, the chapter investigates whether and to what extent the FCTC disciplines apply to e-cigarettes and whether the mandate enjoyed by the FCTC Conference of the Parties (COP) is sufficiently broad to deal with these products. It concludes that due to the formulation of the relevant provisions, the complex nature of e-cigarettes, and the COP’s unwillingness to take a decisive stance on their status, the Convention regime currently has only a limited impact on the development of legal standards in this policy space.

The market for e-cigarettes has recently been harmonized at the European Union (EU) level by the 2014 Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). To some, the TPD establishes a golden regulatory standard for the treatment of e-cigarettes - one which can be replicated in the future in other jurisdictions - while for others it is an example of an overprotective regulation that stifles innovation, which in the end may have a negative impact on public health protection. The aim of this chapter is twofold. First, it analyzes the legislative process that led to the adoption of the new EU regulatory framework for e-cigarettes, at the same time identifying the factors that have had an impact on its ultimate shape and presenting its main features. Second, the chapter assesses the legality of the relevant TPD provisions under applicable EU rules in light of the Pillbox 38 (UK) Ltd v Secretary of State for Health judgment.