Criticism of EU Delaying Tobacco Products Directive Legislation: Concerns for Youth Health

Key Points:

The Dutch Minister of Health criticized the decision of the European Union to delay legislation related to the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), expressing concerns about its impact on the health of young people.

Multiple member states are urging the EU to impose stricter restrictions on new tobacco and nicotine products.

According to a report by Euractiv on March 3, Dutch Health Minister Vincent Karremans criticized the European Commission in an open letter for delaying a decision on legislation related to new nicotine products, stating that this move is harmful to public health.

The European Commission has removed tobacco-related legislation from its 2025 work plan, prompting the Dutch Minister to urge EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi to take "decisive" action to protect the health of young people.

The letter points out that delaying the revision of EU tobacco control legislation is harmful given the rapidly changing tobacco and nicotine pouch market.

The Dutch minister cited revisions to the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) as well as directives related to advertising and taxation, stating that these proposed revisions should be passed by 2025. Belgium and Latvia also support this position. The original TPD covered traditional tobacco products and new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco. However, it does not cover new products that have emerged since the law was passed, such as tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches.

The Dutch minister also emphasized that with the emergence of new products, the European Union needs to implement stricter restrictions on new tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, such as comprehensive restrictions on flavors, maximum nicotine content, and simplified packaging. Currently, only eight member states have implemented plain packaging laws, and these laws mainly target traditional cigarettes.

The Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, and Finland will extend these rules to all tobacco and nicotine products. If applied to new tobacco products, this means that these products will be subject to the same restrictions across the EU. However, Greece and Italy have explicitly opposed this.

The Dutch government is calling for the European Union to establish a legal framework for cross-border distance sales of new tobacco products to prevent consumers from bypassing national restrictions. The letter specifically mentions the promotion of tobacco products on social media as a major issue, with the Minister of Health urging the EU to strengthen collaboration with platforms to remove any content aimed at selling or promoting tobacco and nicotine products, particularly targeting young users.