Brussels – The public consultation period on the European Commission’s revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive and the Directive on tobacco advertising begins today. The EU executive announced this in a statement. The launch of this public consultation follows on from and complements the call for contributions, which was also published this week; both are based on the European Commission’s assessment of the products, published in April.
In its assessment, the Berlaymont highlighted how EU tobacco policies have “significantly reduced the number of smokers and smoking-related deaths, with an even more marked decline among young people.” At the same time, however, a shift is emerging in the habits of younger generations, who are moving towards alternative products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches. According to the report, these products represent a new challenge for public health because they can be addictive and have long-term negative effects, particularly among young people, partly due to highly aggressive and appealing online marketing strategies.
The Commission has also highlighted certain shortcomings in the current legislation, which is still unable to regulate these new products and their digital promotion effectively. Despite this, European rules have also improved the functioning of the internal market, thanks to measures on labelling, ingredients, traceability, and cross-border advertising. Overall, Brussels considers the regulatory framework “effective” but in need of an update to address new risks and market changes.
To tackle these issues, Brussels is aiming to revise the European directives on tobacco control. The stated aim is to achieve a “tobacco-free generation” by 2040. The European Commission has therefore launched a public consultation, open until 14 August 2026, to gather views, proposals, and comments from citizens, organisations, and businesses. The contributions will help prepare the revision of European tobacco regulations, scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
