European Union: tobacco lobby still very present in Brussels

2023-05-31T20:21:40.942Z

Highlights: 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.

In the European Union, smoking kills 700 000 people every year, according to Commission figures. The number of smokers remains high: 23% of Europeans over the age of 15. In this context,...

European Union: tobacco lobby still very present in Brussels

In the European Union, smoking kills 700 000 people every year, according to Commission figures. The number of smokers remains high: 23% of Europeans over the age of 15. In this context, the European Commission is stepping up its actions, but according to some MEPs and some very critical NGOs, its action against tobacco is hampered by the action of powerful "Big Tobacco" lobbies.

According to some NGOs, the European Commission's action against tobacco is hampered by the action of powerful "Big Tobacco" lobbies. © YVES HERMAN / REUTERS

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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. In April, the EU Ombudsman deplored the Commission's lack of transparency in its contacts with tobacco lobbies, citing meetings without minutes.

A meeting at the European Parliament a few weeks later highlighted the strategy of lobbyists to fight against the revision of the directive on tobacco taxation, which has still not been initiated to differentiate the taxation of cigarettes from that of heated tobacco or vaping. 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.

European Union: tobacco lobby still very present in Brussels

European Union: tobacco lobby still very present in Brussels

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