Quality control

Manufacturers or importers of tobacco products must submit once a year to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) :

1. a list with information on the tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide yields produced when smoking commercially sold cigarettes as well as information about the testing laboratory that has carried out the tests and the verification;
2. a list of ingredients, specific to the brand and type, of all the ingredients used in the manufacture of each tobacco product and of their quantities; and
3. research descriptions and statements by an approved testing laboratory or research institute indicating brand-specific implementation of fire safety requirements and information on the testing laboratory or research institute.

The above information must be submitted to Valvira by the end of November each year.

The fire safety requirements must be tested with one of the following test methods:

• ASTM E2187-04 (Standard test method for measuring the ignition strength of cigarettes);
• AS 4830-2007 (Determination of the extinction propensity of cigarettes); or
• similar European standard.

The research statement should indicate which test method has been used.

A testing laboratory that carries out testing, verification or authentication of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide yields produced during smoking must be approved and supervised by Valvira. Valvira keeps a list of approved laboratories.

An application for the approval of a testing laboratory shall be submitted to Valvira. Valvira approves a laboratory if the laboratory presents, attached to its application, a certificate that the Centre for Metrology and Accreditation has ascertained that the laboratory fulfils the international requirements for the competence of testing laboratories and that the measurement methods referred to in Tobacco Act are covered by its area of competence.

Only an authority may be approved as a testing laboratory. A testing laboratory operating in connection with the importer or manufacturer of tobacco products may, however, be approved to carry out testing or verification of its own products. Authentication of fire safety requirements may also be carried out by another accredited research laboratory. Please note that Valvira does not approve testing laboratories which carry out authentication of fire safety requirements.

A testing laboratory is considered approved without a separate decision if the manufacturer or importer of tobacco products submits to Valvira a certificate indicating that the competent authority of another Member State has approved the testing laboratory and notifies Valvira of the grounds on which the laboratory and the measurement methods used have been approved.