President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the 19th Amendment to Act no. 31/79 ( Export-Import Act of the Maldives). The amendment, passed by the 44th session of the 20th Parliament on Thursday, introduces significant changes to the import duties on tobacco and electronic devices.
Under the new amendment, Section 5 (m)(1)(i) of the Act has been revised to modify the import regulations for tobacco products, including prepared tobacco, tobacco alternatives, electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, heated tobacco products, and their parts. Additionally, Chapter 24, as mentioned in Section 7 (a) of the Act, has also been amended.
The new import duty rates on tobacco and related products are as follows:
• General tobacco and prepared tobacco products: 200% duty on all items in this category, excluding specific items listed below.
• Cigarettes: 50% duty, plus MVR 8 per cigarette.
• Bidi (traditional cigarettes): 50% duty, plus MVR 8 per bidi.
• Flavoured chemicals used in electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products: 50% duty, plus MVR 8 per millilitre.
• Heated tobacco products and consumable tobacco sticks: 50% duty, plus MVR 8 per stick.
In addition, a revision has been made to Chapter 85 (s) of Section 7 (a) concerning electronic machinery, equipment, and parts. This includes electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, and tobacco heating products, which now incur a 200% import duty.
Significant amendments have been introduced in Section 8(1) of the Act. The Act further mandates that all relevant rules and regulations be established or updated within 30 days of the enactment of the amendment and published in the Government Gazette.
The 19th Amendment to the Maldives Export-Import Act will officially take effect on 1 November 2024, marking a new regulatory landscape for the import of tobacco products and electronic smoking devices in the Maldives.