1 December 2018

The latest Smoke Free Partnership infographic on tobacco industry presence in the EU policy-making environment is out.

Tobacco industry interference remains the largest obstacle to the implementation of effective tobacco control policies worldwide. When tobacco industry interference results in delays or policies being blocked, this translates into real lives being put at higher risk of disease and death.

Smoke Free Partnership has been monitoring the EU Transparency Register to identify and measure the representation of tobacco industry interests. The objective is to shed light on the human and economic resources of the tobacco industry and its allies, who are lobbying the EU institutions.

The infographic focuses on 4 key aspects of tobacco industry spending, namely: direct spending, consultancy spending, full-time staff and accreditations to the EU institutions. In 2017 the tobacco industry had 110 registered lobbyists compared to 85 in 2015. Tobacco lobbying remains big business in Brussels.