1 November 2025 

The Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL) has submitted its response to the European Commission’s public consultation on the proposed revision of the EU Tobacco Taxation Directive. 

The European Commission’s proposal to update the EU Tobacco Taxation Directive marks a major step towards stronger tobacco control and cancer prevention. The text proposes substantial tax hikes on all tobacco and nicotine products and expands the Directive’s scope to include novel and emerging products like vapes. The latter is particularly important considering that these highly addicting substances are often marketed towards teenagers and young people. 

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable cancer in the EU, responsible for over a quarter (27%) of all cancer cases. Research shows that price increases are among the most effective strategies to reduce tobacco consumption.  

ECL welcomes the proposal for the revision of the Tobacco Taxation Directive and urges EU governments to support the most ambitious possible approach to protect future generations and maximise its impact on cancer prevention. The future Directive should focus on four main priorities: 

• Substantially increase taxation across all tobacco products
  • Implement significant tax increases on all tobacco products. 
  • Recognise that price measures are among the most effective and immediate tools to reduce consumption, discourage initiation, and lower healthcare costs.  

• Expand the scope of taxation to all nicotine products 
  • Extend the Directive to include all novel and emerging nicotine and tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches.  
  • Close the current regulatory gap, ensuring these addictive and increasingly popular products are taxed consistently to prevent substitution and protect public health. 

• Align the Directive with public health objectives 
  • Ensure the revision is fully consistent with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, particularly its goal of achieving a Tobacco-Free Generation by 2040. 
  • Maintain taxation as the central instrument to prevent nicotine addiction and reduce use across all population groups. 

Policymakers must put people’s health before profit. A Europe free of cancer begins with a Europe free of tobacco. ECL therefore calls on all EU member states to support the European Commission’s proposal without delay. 

Read ECL’s contribution to the Tobacco Taxation Directive revision 

Visit other ECL resources on tobacco control: 

• Briefing: Proposals for the Tobacco Excise Duty Own Resources and the Tobacco Taxation Directive revision (October 2025) 

• Press release: European health organisations call for ambitious tobacco tax policy (September 2025) 

• Press release: EU Tobacco Tax proposal paves the way for Europe’s first tobacco-free generation (July 2025) 

• Letter: European Cancer Leagues call on EU Commissioner Hoekstra to prevent cancer by strengthening the EU Tobacco Taxation Directive (July 2025) 

• Position paper: Regulating novel and emerging nicotine and tobacco products (May 2024) 

• Webinar: How will Europe achieve its first tobacco-free generation? (May 2024)