In the past two years, European representatives have had over 400 meetings with tobacco and nicotine industry lobbyists, which is four times more than the previous period. This information has been collected through transparency registries and indicates a significant increase in interactions between representatives and the tobacco industry.
Meetings with Right-Wing Representatives
Most of the meetings during this period have been with representatives from right-wing parties. About 75% of these meetings involve members of the European People's Party, Conservatives and Reformists in Europe, and extremist groups. This increase in meetings occurs while the European Union is considering significant reforms to tobacco and nicotine laws.
Criticism of Interactions with the Tobacco Industry
Some European representatives have criticized the increased access of the tobacco industry to officials, viewing it as contradictory to efforts to combat addiction and diseases caused by tobacco use. Tilly Metz, a representative from the Greens, stated: "It is completely unacceptable that meetings with the tobacco industry outnumber meetings with NGOs working to reduce tobacco consumption." She referred to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention, which stipulates that decision-makers should not frequently meet with tobacco industry lobbyists.
The tobacco industry and the representatives who meet with them claim that they have done nothing wrong. Simon Trasler, tax affairs manager at British American Tobacco, pointed out that the company, like other companies in Europe, has the right to express its views and experiences. Philip Morris International, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, also emphasized its role in the European economy and its efforts to transition to a smoke-free future.
Concerns About Compliance with WHO Regulations
Concerns raised by Tilly Metz and other European representatives include compliance with the World Health Organization's anti-tobacco regulations. This agreement emphasizes that public health policies must be protected from the commercial interests of the tobacco industry. Although this agreement does not prohibit lobbying, it stresses the necessity of limiting interactions with this industry.
The tobacco industry claims that it respects the regulations and expresses its viewpoints transparently. They refer to a ruling from 2022 by the European Court of Justice, which states that this agreement does not prevent their participation in anti-tobacco efforts. The industry also emphasizes that this agreement does not cover non-tobacco nicotine products.
Simon Trasler also noted that British American Tobacco fully complies with all regulations transparently and believes that the WHO agreement has been misinterpreted. The industry also stresses that the scope of this agreement is limited to products made from tobacco leaves, while the WHO's position is that the scope of this agreement extends beyond reducing tobacco consumption.
