Health ministers have called upon the European Commission to intensify efforts in combating tobacco use and raised concerns about the obstruction of multiple tobacco control measures. This was revealed in a missive addressed to Commissioner Várhelyi, which was reviewed by Euronews.

The letter, dated March 21st, outlines the concerns raised by health ministers from Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, and Spain. Initiated by the Netherlands, they express worry about the rising consumption of novel nicotine products amongst young people, issues related to cross-border online sales, and the role played by social media companies in these matters.

"We urge you to promptly and resolutely act to safeguard the well-being of our young people and to foster a smoke-free generation by 2040," the letter implores.

They similarly raise concerns about the postponement of certain crucial tobacco control measures proposed by the Commission, including the Tobacco Products Directive and the Tobacco Taxation Directive. These were originally scheduled for 2022 and 2024, respectively, under the framework of the European Beating Cancer Plan.

The letter states, "We are troubled by the lack of an anticipated timeline for updates to the revised action plan in the coming period." It goes on to say, "We strongly encourage you to release these legal suggestions in 2025 and make sure they are consistent."

To achieve this, they emphasize the importance of prioritizing and allocating the necessary resources for revising European tobacco control laws and incorporating all new and upcoming tobacco and nicotine products.

Health ministers view these delays as particularly detrimental "given the quickly changing landscape of tobacco and nicotine products."

Protecting children

Concerning the utilization of new nicotine-based items, government officials advocate for crafting forward-thinking European Union laws aimed at decreasing the appeal of electronic cigarettes and similar innovative tobacco-related goods. The document suggests these regulations ought to encompass limitations on flavors, nicotine concentrations, as well as product packaging.

This specifically aims at safeguarding children, along with their initiative to restrict access to such items on the internet.

The correspondence indicates that the internet-based selling and transnational commerce of tobacco and nicotine items hinder governmental initiatives aimed at limiting accessibility to such goods. It also calls upon the Commission to develop measures designed to address the issues associated with inter-state remote transactions.