Commission launches public consultation on revision of the EU Tobacco rules

The European Commission has today launched a public consultation on the revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive and Tobacco Advertising Directive. The opening of this public consultation follows and complements the call for evidence which was also published this week.

The EU Tobacco Products Directive and Tobacco Advertising Directive set out the EU rules on the manufacturing, presentation and sale of tobacco and related products, as well as their advertising and sponsorship. Both this public consultation and the call for evidence build on the Commission's recently published Evaluation of the EU tobacco control framework, which highlighted the importance of EU legislation for the protection of public health, as well as the smooth functioning of the internal market for tobacco and related products. The findings of the evaluation show that the EU rules on tobacco control have contributed to a significant decline in smoking and tobacco-related deaths across the EU. At the same time, the evaluation highlights growing challenges linked to the rapid emergence of novel tobacco and nicotine products, particularly among young people. The revision of the Directives will also support the EU's objective of achieving a tobacco-free generation by 2040.

The public consultation will run until 14/08/2026. It is a further chance for contributors to express their views and share insights on the problems to be solved, the key action areas proposed and the likely impact. It will inform the upcoming revision of the legislative framework on tobacco control, planned before the end of 2026.

Further information is available online.