In the past two years, European lawmakers have had over 400 meetings with tobacco and nicotine lobbyists, a fourfold increase from about 100 meetings during the 2019-2024 period. This information was collected and analyzed by the Smoke Free Partnership, a coalition of non-governmental organizations.
Meetings with Right-Wing Representatives
The majority of these meetings have been with right-wing representatives of the European Parliament. About 75% of these meetings were with lawmakers from the European People's Party, conservatives, and far-right groups. The increase in meetings indicates the pressure from the tobacco lobby during the revision of several key laws related to tobacco and nicotine.
Read more: Africa CDC holds emergency meeting on Ebola spread
Concerns About Lobbyists' Impact on Public Health
Some parliament members have criticized the tobacco industry's access to lawmakers, arguing that it contradicts efforts to prevent addiction and disease caused by the industry's products. Tilly Metz, a representative from the Greens, described the situation as "scandalous and shocking," stating that frequent meetings with the tobacco industry while working on health issues are unacceptable.
The tobacco industry and parliament representatives who regularly meet with this industry claim that they have committed no wrongdoing. Simon Traxler, head of finance at British American Tobacco, stated that the company, like any other business in Europe, has the right to present its views and experiences.
According to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, public health policies should be protected from the commercial interests of the industry. While lobbying is not prohibited, the convention's guidelines recommend that interactions with this industry should be minimized.
Meanwhile, the tobacco industry claims that it operates within the law and transparently presents its views. It also references a ruling by the European Court of Justice in 2022 stating that tobacco companies cannot be barred from participating in tobacco control implementation.
Ultimately, in light of recent criticisms regarding the weakening of tobacco-related language in the non-binding report on heart diseases, lobbying in these areas is expected to continue to increase.
Read more: Pope Leo XIII does not need further treatment · France identifies first human case of Shimonda virus
