A major public consultation on revising the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and Tobacco Advertising Directive has elicited one of the largest and most geographically diverse responses in recent EU policy history, with the vast majority of submissions opposing a stricter regulatory approach.
The European Commission launched the call for evidence in May, running until mid-June.
According to an analysis published today by Path to Smoke-Free and We Are Innovation, more than 82,000 submissions were received from 138 countries.
Over 90 per cent of these raised substantive objections to the Commission’s proposed direction, while only around 2 per cent expressed outright support for tighter rules.
The briefing paper, titled The TPD Revision and Europe’s Innovation Economy: A Review of the Evidence, examined the full consultation record.
It found broad criticism across stakeholder groups: 96 per cent of academic and research submissions were critical, as were 94 per cent from companies, NGOs and other organisations, and 93 per cent from individual citizens.
Submissions highlighted several recurring themes.
Individual citizens emphasised personal autonomy and concerns that further restrictions could drive consumers towards illicit markets.
Businesses and retailers pointed to potential impacts on jobs, investment, and supply chains.
Academics and researchers stressed the need for regulation based on differentiated risk profiles between combustible tobacco and non-combustible nicotine products.
The analysis also frames the debate in broader terms of European innovation policy.
Contributions from universities, including IE University in Spain, Northeastern University London, and the University of Delaware, warned that heavy-handed regulation could increase compliance costs, deter investment in research and development, and widen Europe’s innovation gap with other regions.
The briefing paper argues that any revision should be anchored in five key priorities: Risk differentiation as the foundation of the framework; explicit assessment of innovation costs and regulatory uncertainty; quantification of economic and employment impacts; measures to anticipate and mitigate illicit trade; and adherence to high standards of causal evidence in line with Regulatory Scrutiny Board criteria.
In reaction to questions for Brussels Signal, a Commission spokesperson said, “The Call for Evidence closed two weeks ago and we are now analysing the results. This Call for Evidence was one of the many actions launched by the Commission to prepare the upcoming proposal to revise the EU’s tobacco legislation”.
“Scientific analyses, an impact assessment, evaluations, the collection of socio-economic data and a public consultation are also part of this preparatory work.”
The consultation is now closed. The European Commission will consider the responses as it prepares its proposals.
The outcome is expected to influence not only nicotine policy but also the wider regulatory environment for innovative industries in Europe.
A leading addiction researcher warns the European Union is on the brink of a public health blunder, risking reversing decades of progress in reducing smoking–while ignoring its past success stories and lessons from US prohibition.https://t.co/H8mhNY3aLP
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) March 30, 2026
