E-cigaretteindustry questionnaire

The Consumers, Health and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA) has contracted the EUREST Consortium, through the PRECISE project (BRFAA - and ENSP – to identify, develop and suggest existing and/or potential safety features to limit the risks associated in particular with the refilling processes, as well as with breakage and leakage, thereby protecting users and non-users (including children).

The overall aim is to assist the European Commission in laying down technical specifications for refill mechanisms pursuant to Article 20, in particular Article 20(13) of the Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU.

As part of this process we would like to request from you responses to the below questions. Your feedback will be considered during the development of the technical specifications. Please email your responses accompanied by any relative files to , with the word “PRECISE” in the subject line.

The information gathered through the questionnaires can only be used for the purpose of the above mentioned contract and will be treated in a confidential manner. The information can be shared with the European Commission.

We thank you in advance for your contribution.

Yours sincerely,

The EUREST consortium

Participant details

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Questions

  1. Are you aware of any technical design standards or specifications that have been/are being developed within or outside the EU that would mitigate risks associated with the opening and refill mechanism of refillable electronic cigarettes or refill containers (such as standards/ specifications rendering them child- and tamper-proof, protecting against leakage and breakage and ensuring refilling without leakage)? If yes, please provide a description of these standards and/or specifications and evaluate them in terms of effectiveness and cost and indicate a source where additional information can be found on this standards/specifications. Attach where appropriate supporting files/documentation.
  1. Have you developed or are you in the process of developing any standards, specifications or mechanisms that would make your own e-cigarettes or refill containers child- and tamper-proof and/or that would protect these products against leakage and breakage and ensuring refilling without leakage?If yes, please provide a detailed description of the designand attach any necessary files/documentation.Please provide any evaluations of effectiveness and cost. Please mark any confidential information or business secrets, e.g. if your mechanism is protected by intellectual property rights. Please indicate whether your company would be ready to transfer or license the technology.
  1. If you answered yes to question 2, do your technical specifications or standards foresee that only specific refill bottles (containers) are to be used when refilling e-cigarettes? If yes, please describe which types of refill containers can/cannot be used and why.
  1. What technical requirements/mechanisms/standards should - in your view - be used to make e-cigarettes or refill containers child- and tamper proof, protect them against leakage and breakage and ensure refilling without leakage? Please explain your choice, taking into account in particular effectiveness and costs. If you consider more than one approach acceptable, please provide the same information for all approaches.
  1. In terms of risks associated with refillable e-cigarettes:
  2. If you answered yes to question 2, what risks have you considered when developing the standards, specifications or mechanisms referred to in that question?Please outline these risks and suggest how they have been/will be reduced or eliminated.
  3. Have you developed a monitoring system or collected information on actual or potential accidents from use/misuse of your products that is related to the opening and refill mechanism of e-cigarettes or refill bottles/containers?
  4. In general, what other risks are you aware of concerning refillable e-cigarettes and refill containers?How should these other risks be addressed?

Other issues/comments

  1. Could you recommend any independent scientific expert(s)with knowledge in the area of refillable mechanisms of e-cigarettes/refill containers? If yes, please indicate the name/-s and, if available, contact details.
  2. Please categorise – if possible – different types of refillable e-cigarettes/refill containers. Which product developments do you see/expect?
  3. Should you wish to bring forward an aspect that was not covered in the above questionnaire or provide additional suggestions, pleasefeel free to submit such information (Up to 5 pages long)

Thank you for completing this questionnaire