Ahead of the ECOFIN Council meeting on 10 March, the European Heart Network (EHN), as a member of the European Chronic Disease Alliance (ECDA), supported a joint letter calling for an ambitious revision of the EU Tobacco Taxation Directive.
The letter underlines that tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in Europe, responsible for 1.1 million deaths each year, and continues to place a significant burden on health systems and economies. It emphasises that increasing prices through taxation is the most effective measure to reduce tobacco and nicotine use and can generate substantial public revenue while lowering healthcare costs. According to the European Commission, the proposed revision could reduce smoking prevalence to around 20.8% in its first year of implementation, equivalent to approximately 12 million fewer smokers, while generating over €20 billion in additional tax revenue.
It also highlights the rapid evolution of the tobacco and nicotine market, with products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches increasingly marketed as “reduced-risk” alternatives and often taxed at lower rates. The letter calls for a comprehensive and future-proof approach to ensure all nicotine products are effectively regulated and taxed in line with public health objectives.