NGOs call on Commission to rapidly strengthen anti-smoking measures in the EU

Nine European organisations have launched a joint call for the implementation of the “Beating Cancer in Europe” plan to be accelerated during the new mandate of the European Commission. Health groups have urged the next Commission to tackle new tobacco industry products, particularly heated tobacco products.[1].

The organisations welcomed the Commission's recent actions, including the recommended extension of smoke-free environments. However, they noted that legislative action lags behind the tobacco industry's innovation and marketing tactics.

The call to the EU was launched by the European Cancer Organisation, the European Lung Foundation, the European Network on Smoking and Tobacco Prevention, the European Respiratory Society, the European Society of Medical Oncology, the European Society of Cardiology, Lung Cancer Europe, Lungs Europe and the Smoke-Free Partnership.

Revision of European directives and implementation of the Framework Convention

The organisations welcomed recent developments, in particular the Council Recommendation on smoke-free environments, a key element of the European Beating Cancer Plan. However, they urge Member States to also ban the use of vaping devices and heated tobacco in indoor and outdoor settings, including public beaches for environmental reasons. The organisations call for this proposal to be endorsed by the Council as soon as possible and for the Hungarian Presidency to ensure that it is approved by December 2024.

The update of the Council recommendations is one of the elements of the "prevention pillar" of the "Beating Cancer in Europe" plan for which initiatives proposed since 2021 are rare. Therefore, NGOs urge the European Commission and the Member States to review and update the Tobacco Taxation Directive (TTD) for which the publication of a proposal by the Commission has been expected for two years now, with the need also to review the legal framework concerning cross-border tobacco purchases. In addition, there are the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and the Tobacco Advertising Directive (TAD).

The European health organisations, which represent coalitions of national organisations from all the countries of the European Union, also call for the respect and implementation by the European institutions and the Member States of the provisions of the WHO treaty, the framework convention on tobacco control, which they have all ratified. In particular, the obligations of transparency and protection of public policies with regard to the tobacco lobby provided for in Article 5.3 of the text are highlighted.

Strengthen current measures, particularly for new products

NGOs highlight the delay in EU legislative action as the tobacco industry continues to roll out new products and marketing tactics. They call for urgent measures to counter this industry offensive.

The organisations particularly call on the next European Commission 2024-29 to:

- Introduce excise duties on heated tobacco products, e-cigarettes and increase the minimum collection rates on cigarettes and rolling tobacco, and adopt a mechanism to take into account inflation;

- Ban all flavors for heated tobacco and nicotine products and ban flavoring accessories and additives for all tobacco and related products;

- Impose plain packaging for all tobacco products in all Member States;

- Ban disposable e-cigarettes (puffs) in all Member States and the sale of vaping products to people under 18;

- Introduce an annual public monitoring mechanism for tobacco control policies to measure the proper implementation of the legislation by Member States. Include in this monitoring EU recommendations to ensure the objective of a tobacco-free generation by 2040.

Tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable disease and premature death in the EU, contributing to a large number of respiratory, cardiovascular and cancer diseases. Almost 700 000 preventable premature deaths are attributable to tobacco in the EU each year.

©Tobacco Free Generation

AE

[1] Press release, European Societies call EU to Not Lose Momentum on Tobacco Policy, published November 5, 2024, accessed November 8, 2024