On 19 October 2026, the Association of European Cancer Leagues, the Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) and the European Chronic Disease Alliance (ECDA) sent an open letter to Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. The letter backs a call from eight EU Member States, led by the Netherlands, for an ambitious, future-proof revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and Tobacco Advertising Directive (TAD). The letter has been signed by more than 50 public health organisations across Europe.

The current rules date from 2014. Since then, new nicotine products and marketing tactics have consistently stayed one step ahead of regulation. Young people are the most exposed: in the WHO European Region, 14.3% of adolescents aged 13–15 use e-cigarettes, the highest rate of any WHO region. The letter welcomes the Member States’ shift from reacting to new products towards preventing new forms of nicotine dependence before they take hold. It urges the Commission to reflect that ambition in its forthcoming proposal, as a key step towards a smoke-free generation by 2040.

Read the full letter below.