European action against tobacco dates back to a directive on taxation, it was in 1972! Then began the influx of tobacco industry lobbyists into Brussels. Japan Tobacco, British American, Imperial or Philip Morris had the reputation of employing 200 lobbyists with the European institutions.
Fifty years after the first texts, the tobacco lobby is still as active as ever. A report says the European Commission is struggling to limit its contacts with tobacco companies and refuses to disclose meeting documents because of an ongoing competition investigation. However, lobbyists have not been able to stop the EU from imposing plain cigarette packs or adopting its current goal: a tobacco-free Europe by 2040.