Brussels – The European Commission and tobacco lobbyists: the Ombudsman has launched an investigation into how the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade (DG TRADE) deals with industry representatives in this sector. According to the European Ombudsman’s office, the investigation was launched following complaints lodged by the organisation Contre-Feu, alleging that DG TRADE had engaged in regular, unnecessary, and non-transparent interactions with the tobacco industry. According to the complainants, these interactions could “undermine” tobacco control efforts and public health policies in third countries, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Sources at the Ombudsman’s office said that the opening of the investigation follows the conclusions of the organisation’s report, which documented these contacts and raised concerns about their transparency. This is therefore a necessary step in light of information that Teresa Anjinho, the official responsible for investigating complaints of maladministration by the institutions and bodies of the European Union, could not ignore. As a first step, the Ombudsman asked to inspect various Commission documents regarding its interactions with the tobacco industry.
The investigation has only just begun, and everything remains to be proven. Still, Contre-Feu is jubilant. “This investigation takes on even greater significance as the EU is negotiating key legislation on tobacco and nicotine,” namely the proposal on tobacco products, advertising, and sponsorship expected by the end of 2026. “Pressure from industry lobbies has never been so strong to block measures that could harm their business,” the organisation behind the investigation said on social media.
For the European Union, the launch of the inquiry marks a return to the past, in the least positive sense of the term. When discussing the EU and tobacco, one must not forget ‘Dalli-gate’, the scandal that engulfed the then Commissioner for Health, the Maltese John Dalli, who was forced to resign precisely because of his links with representatives of the tobacco industry. Dalli stepped down amid considerable controversy in October 2012 after he was accused of being aware of attempted fraud without reporting it or taking the necessary measures. He accused the then-President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, of having fired him, triggering a dispute before the Court of Justice of the EU that lasted almost 10 years.
In short, the tobacco industry has tarnished the credibility of EU institutions, and the prospect of a new ‘Dalli-gate’ risks further undermining confidence in the European Union at a time when enthusiasm for the EU is at an all-time low.
