France is pushing the European Union towards more ambitious regulations on tobacco and nicotine

The first call for evidence launched by the European Commission as part of the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and the Tobacco Advertising Directive (TAD) closed on June 15, 2026, after collecting more than 82,000 contributions. This preliminary consultation, open from May 18 to June 15, is an important step in the legislative process. This process was initiated by the Commission following the publication on April 2.[1], from its evaluation of the European framework for tobacco control. The contributions received already reveal strongly divergent positions between public authorities, public health organizations, and representatives of the tobacco and nicotine industry. Among the most noteworthy positions is that of the France, which supports several ambitious measures, including a ban on flavourings, plain packaging and, for the first time, a ban on cigarette filters.

A key first step before the revision of European directives

The "Call for Evidence" is one of the first phases of the European Commission's legislative review process. Its objective is to gather feedback from citizens, administrations, researchers, businesses, and civil society organizations in order to identify the main problems to be addressed and the avenues for reform to be considered.

This consultation follows directly from the evaluation of the European tobacco control framework published on April 2, 2026, by the European Commission. This evaluation concluded that while current guidelines have contributed to reducing smoking in the European Union, they now appear insufficient in the face of the rapid growth of new tobacco and nicotine products, the proliferation of digital marketing strategies, and the emergence of new environmental challenges. The Commission therefore considers a revision of the legislation necessary to support the adopted European objective of a "tobacco-free generation" by 2040.

A consultation that was closely followed, but marked by influence campaigns.

With over 82,000 contributions registered at its close, including nearly 88 %s from European citizens, this consultation is among the most closely followed on public health issues at the European Union level. The main contributions came from Romania, France, and Italy, with France alone accounting for just over 10 %s of the total.

In several Member States, and particularly in France, many manufacturers of tobacco, nicotine, and vaping products actively encouraged their consumers to participate in the consultation. Companies in the sector, including Philip Morris International as well as several independent manufacturers and distributors of vaping products, launched campaigns urging their customers to oppose stricter regulations on new tobacco and nicotine products. Some companies even went so far as to provide pre-written arguments or responses that consumers could use directly in their submissions.

This mobilization illustrates the strategic importance the industry places on the ongoing review of European directives. The responses gathered will now inform the European Commission's impact assessment, which will serve as the basis for future legislative proposals expected by the end of 2026. A more detailed public consultation also remains open until August 14, 2026, and should allow for a more in-depth exploration of the various regulatory scenarios under consideration.

France has ambitious positions on flavorings, plain packaging, and filters.

Among the submissions, that of the General Secretariat for European Affairs (SGAE) stands out as particularly noteworthy. France supports an ambitious revision of European directives, advocating in particular for a ban on all flavorings in products covered by the TPD, the introduction of plain packaging at the European level, the reduction of permitted nicotine levels in certain products, and a ban on cigarette filters.

These positions largely align with those advocated for several years by public health organizations, including the French National Committee Against Smoking (CNCT) and the European Smoke Free Partnership (SFP), which has representatives in various EU countries. The CNCT also calls for the establishment of a mandatory pre-authorization mechanism for products before they are placed on the European market, to prevent new nicotine products from being marketed before a thorough assessment of their health, environmental, and societal impacts.

France's stance on cigarette filters sends a particularly strong signal. It is, in fact, the first time that France has explicitly supported their ban in a European consultation. This demand is part of a broader movement championed for several years by numerous civil society organizations within the framework of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the negotiations for the global treaty against plastic pollution. Cigarette filters are regularly denounced for their misleading nature for consumers, their current lack of protective effect, and their major contribution to global plastic pollution.

This convergence between French positions and those of civil society could strengthen the political weight of certain measures in the next stages of the review. It also reflects a significant shift in the European debate, which no longer focuses solely on the health risks of tobacco but also on its environmental impacts and the growing appeal of new nicotine products to young people. This stance is also aligned with a broader health perspective encompassing both human and environmental health.

The tobacco industry is on the offensive against the upcoming European revision

The contributions submitted as part of the "Call for Evidence" show that the tobacco industry intends to play an active role in the upcoming discussions. Key players in the sector dispute several findings made by the European Commission in its assessment and seek to challenge the need for ambitious reforms.

The main tobacco lobby in Brussels, Tobacco Europe, believes that the evidence gathered by the Commission does not constitute a sufficient basis for a substantial strengthening of regulations. Several manufacturers have also submitted their own contributions. Imperial Brands directly criticizes certain conclusions of the European assessment, while Philip Morris International advocates a so-called "risk-based" approach, which would involve applying different rules depending on the product category in order to obtain more favorable regulatory treatment for products marketed as alternatives to cigarettes.

This mobilization is far from anecdotal. The tobacco industry remains one of the most active sectors in lobbying European institutions. Several recent investigations have highlighted the intensity of lobbying activities deployed in Brussels to influence European policies on tobacco and nicotine. Recent debates surrounding the revision of the Tobacco Tax Directive (TTD) have also illustrated the sector's ability to influence negotiations and contribute to weakening or postponing certain measures supported by numerous public health stakeholders.[2].

In this context, it is likely that future discussions on the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and the Tobacco Advertising Directive (TAD) will be met with equally significant mobilization from manufacturers and their representatives. The economic stakes are considerable for a sector facing a gradual decline in smoking rates in many Member States and seeking to protect its markets while developing new nicotine products.

Faced with this anticipated pressure, civil society organizations, health authorities, and Member States supporting an ambitious tobacco control policy must remain particularly vigilant. The stakes go beyond simply updating texts adopted more than a decade ago: it is about equipping the European Union with a regulatory framework capable of responding to the contemporary commercial strategies of the tobacco and nicotine industry, better protecting younger generations, and sustainably reducing smoking rates on the continent. The strong participation observed during this initial consultation, as well as the ambitious positions expressed by several public stakeholders, demonstrate that the next stages of the revision will be a pivotal moment for the future of European public health policy, emphasizes the CNCT (National Committee Against Tobacco). The CNCT also recalls that the previous revision of the European Tobacco Products Directive led to unprecedented lobbying and interference from the tobacco industry, but that ultimately the public interest largely prevailed. For the association, it is also in this perspective that the provisions for the protection of public policies adopted by the Union and all Member States within the framework of the WHO treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, must be applied.

©Generation Without Tobacco

AE

[1] Tobacco Directive: A European assessment reveals an outdated framework, Tobacco-Free Generation, published on April 7, 2026

[2] The tobacco lobby is blocking the ambitious revision of the European directive on tobacco taxation, Tobacco-Free Generation, published on June 12