Revision of Directive 2011/64/EU on the structure and rates of excise duty applied to manufactured tobacco: Inception Impact Assessment

EuroHealthNet has responded to the Commission consultation on the Revision of Directive 2011/64/EU on the structure and rates of excise duty applied to manufactured tobacco: Inception Impact Assessment.

EuroHealthNet supports comprehensive and effective regulatory and taxation measures that reduce the consumption of manufactured tobacco and novel tobacco products as a matter of health equity in Europe.

EuroHealthNet recommends to:

• Strongly support the further closure of the tax gap and increase of tobacco taxes, as well as the EU wide harmonisation of fiscal policy with regard to novel tobacco products, to bring their internal market treatment into line with that of conventional tobacco products;
• Promote an effective and comprehensive regulation at the European level, including agreement on a common fiscal definition and the establishment of distinct category for e-cigarettes in EU excise legislation;
• Adopt an intelligent and contextual approach to regulation to mitigate the risk of e-cigarettes becoming a “gateway” product to tobacco, particularly amongst those who are young and/or vulnerable; invest in (digital) health literacy and health education;
• Strengthen existing legislation to curb tobacco industry influence, especially in the (digital) advertising and marketing and digital tax sphere;
• Cautiously endorse the use of e-cigarettes as one element of properly planned and supervised smoking cessation programmes, while further research into health effects of the novel tobacco products should continue.

Find our full response to the consultation here.