A looming revision of the EU’s tobacco legislation risks being derailed by pro-industry forces amid the European Parliament’s political shift, sparking alarm among public health advocates, according to Euractiv.
Left-leaning MEPs warn that proposed updates to the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and Tobacco Taxation Directive could weaken existing safeguards, as the European People’s Party (EPP) aligns with national-oriented factions historically opposed to stricter regulations.
The European Commission, under pressure from member states to modernise tobacco laws, has delayed action, omitting the issue from its 2025 work programme and refusing to commit to a timeline.
Health Commissioner Oliver Várhelyi’s silence also contrasts with intensifying lobbying from tobacco firms, which have held over 100 meetings with MEPs since the 2024 elections.
Fears crystallised in November 2024 when the EPP watered down a non-binding resolution on smoke-free environments, stripping provisions to ban smoking on café terraces and easing e-cigarette restrictions. The move, allegedly influenced by German states like Bavaria and backed by the ECR group, saw amendments mirroring tobacco industry talking points.
Lobbying onslaught and legislative paralysis
The tobacco industry’s aggressive tactics include textbook lobbying, as internal documents reveal firms like Philip Morris orchestrated 250+ meetings with MEPs, targeting conservatives and replicating past strategies to flood consultations and exploit revolving-door connections.
The EPP’s alliance with the ECR has also enabled alternative majorities, sidelining health-focused proposals. A parliamentary source noted the EPP’s amendments echoed verbatim lobbyist emails.
Critics accuse the Commission of failing to enforce Article 5.3 of the WHO’s tobacco treaty, which mandates shielding policymaking from industry interference.
