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Targeting the European Commission: the seven lobbying techniques of Big Tobacco

New research analyses the extent of contact between the tobacco industry and the European Commission and shows that industry lobbying is pervasive.


News Story

Published on 10 Mar 2021 Last updated on 13 Feb 2026

Report graphic of European Commission
Tobacco industry lobbying could result in policies intended to improve public health instead serving the interests of companies.

The tobacco industry has been influencing policy to its advantage for decades – postponing, protesting, promoting untruths, playing the victim and pushing new technologies – in order to disrupt tobacco control policies.

The World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the best global tool to combat tobacco industry interference, providing clear guidelines to protect public-health policies and reduce tobacco-related deaths.

New research on industry lobbying

A new report, authored by Olivier Hoedeman of and Sascha Marschang and George Thurley of the , analyses key contacts between the European Commission and the tobacco industry to better understand why the Commission has struggled to implement a consistent policy around industry meetings.

The report was funded by the Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG) and produced by , a global tobacco industry watchdog, in which TCRG is the research partner.

Research materials

Download the full report or a short explainer to read about the seven identified tactics Big Tobacco uses to lobby the European Commission.


A webinar to discuss the report was held on 24 March 2021, hosted by MEP Zeljana Zovko EPP, Croatia and MEP Manuel Pizarro S&D, Portugal. You can .

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