A new investigation has raised concerns that weak transparency rules inside the European Commission have enabled tobacco companies to quietly influence policymaking in Brussels. The report, released on Wednesday by global watchdog Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products (STOP) and the French anti-tobacco group Contre-Feu, claims that EU officials held multiple unreported meetings with tobacco industry representatives despite strict guidelines intended to limit such contact.
According to the Commission’s own disclosures, only five meetings with tobacco industry actors were declared between 2023 and 2025. STOP and Contre-Feu, however, say this figure understates the true extent of engagement. Their investigation found that staff from the Directorate-General for Trade met with tobacco companies at least three times in 2023 and five times in 2024, none of which appeared in the EU Transparency Register or on DG TRADE’s website.
Under current rules, senior officials must record all meetings with interest groups, including the date, participants and the topics discussed. But these requirements apply only to a limited group of staff and do not cover informal or lower-level contacts. Transparency advocates say these gaps create space for tobacco companies to operate out of the public eye despite long-standing obligations to limit industry influence.
A 2021–2023 inquiry by the European Ombudsman had already warned of similar shortcomings. That investigation found that industry representatives often met with junior officials who were not required to disclose the meetings. The Ombudsman also criticised the Commission for failing to keep minutes of talks and for lacking a clear system to determine whether a meeting with tobacco actors is “strictly necessary.”
The EU is bound by the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which requires governments and public institutions to shield health policy from industry interference. In an assessment earlier this year, the WHO acknowledged improvements in EU transparency rules but stressed that risks remain.
STOP and Contre-Feu say tobacco companies have continued to seek influence across a wide spectrum of EU policy areas, including health, trade and regulation of emerging nicotine products. Correspondence obtained through freedom of information requests suggests Philip Morris International tried to shape discussions on heated tobacco products (HTPs), including by urging EU officials to classify foreign restrictions as potential trade barriers. The report cites Taiwan as one such case.
A Commission spokesperson told Euronews Health that meetings with the tobacco industry are avoided unless absolutely necessary and that the institution “does not request specific input” from companies. The spokesperson said all meetings are documented appropriately and stressed that the Commission does not promote or defend any industry’s health policy positions abroad.
The investigation also highlights the scale of tobacco lobbying in Brussels. A comparison with earlier mapping by Corporate Europe Observatory shows a sharp rise over the past decade, from 31 organisations with a budget of €5.3 million in 2012 to 49 organisations spending almost €14 million annually today. Major players include Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International and Imperial Brands, alongside consultancy firms and trade associations working on their behalf.
