More than 120 organisations have signed a joint letter urging the European Commission to urgently revise the Tobacco Products Directive, the Tobacco Advertising Directive, and the Tobacco Taxation Directive. The initiative follows a call from 12 EU Member States to update legislation in response to the growing use of novel tobacco and nicotine products.
Tobacco remains a leading cause of preventable death in Europe, contributing to over 700,000 deaths annually. It is responsible for approximately 20% of all cardiovascular disease (CVD) related deaths in the EU, adding substantially to the burden on individuals, healthcare systems, and societies. The total health and socio-economic cost of tobacco use is estimated at €779 billion per year across the EU.
While the last revision of the Tobacco Products Directive in 2014 led to a decline in smoking rates, the absence of timely updates has stalled further progress. Without strengthened legislation, public health organisations warn of a potential resurgence in tobacco-related harm, particularly among young people.
The joint call is led by the Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) Coalition, the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the European Cancer Organisation (ECO), and the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP). The European Heart Network, as a member of the Smoke Free Partnership, has signed the letter in support of urgent EU action to reduce tobacco use and prevent tobacco-related CVD.