Tobacco lobbying meetings rise as EU prepares new rules
About 75 per cent of declared meetings involved lawmakers from three right-leaning groups, amid debate over industry access to health policymaking.
Members of the European Parliament have disclosed more than 400 meetings with tobacco and nicotine lobbyists since summer 2024, against about 100 during the entire 2019-2024 term. The figures come from Transparency Register records collected by the Smoke Free Partnership, a coalition of non-governmental organisations.
The increase coincides with preparations by the European Commission to revise tobacco product and advertising rules. A tobacco taxation directive is also progressing through the Council of the EU, extending the products covered and setting minimum taxes for tobacco and nicotine products.
Some 75 per cent of meetings involved members of the centre-right European People’s Party, the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists or the far-right Patriots for Europe. Philip Morris International representatives attended at least 178 declared meetings, while British American Tobacco accounted for 60.
Smoke Free Partnership director Erin Roman said the meetings showed opportunities for industry to shape legislative discussions, but could not by themselves establish influence over decisions. Greens/European Free Alliance lawmaker Tilly Metz argued that regular contact with tobacco companies was incompatible with work on health legislation.
Guidance under the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control calls for transparent dealings with industry, limited to those strictly necessary for regulation. The treaty does not prohibit lobbying. Industry representatives argue that tobacco-free nicotine products fall outside its scope; WHO Europe adviser Kristina Mauer-Stender said preventing nicotine addiction was an explicit treaty objective.
British American Tobacco’s fiscal affairs chief Simon Trussler said the company followed regulations and engaged transparently. Philip Morris International defended its participation in democratic debate. Patriots lawmaker Auke Zijlstra, who declared the highest number of meetings at 14, said consulting industries affected by legislation was part of his work.
