ETHRA’s monthly roundup of news: Covert prohibition plan at COP11 - Tobacco Tax - COPWatch daily updates - "Ugly" COP11 Attacks THR - Youth smoking plummets in Denmark - The health effects of nicotine - Mapping Bloomberg's Billions - Where are All the Smokers from the Gateway? - Country updates. Read on for more.
Contents:
Covert prohibition plan at COP11
A leaked EU negotiation document from the COP11 meeting in Geneva has exposed a covert attempt by the European Commission (DG SANTE) and the Danish EU Council Presidency to force through a sweeping, unprecedented prohibition on all novel nicotine products.
Denmark accused of pushing through nicotine pouch ban at COP11
Why Europe has no common position on tobacco and nicotine
Parliamentary Question on the TPD
Irish MEP, Billy Kelleher, asked the Commission about the timeline for the review of the TPD and if proposals will be ready to be published by the end of 2025.
See the question here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2025-003980_EN.html
Answering on behalf of the Commission Olivér Várhelyi stated that the evaluation of the TPD and Tobacco Advertising Directive is expected to be completed and published in the first half of 2026.
See the answer here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2025-003980-ASW_EN.html
Tobacco Taxation
On Thursday, 20 November 2025, the Subcommittee on Tax Matters (FISC) organised a public hearing entitled “Tobacco taxation directive”. The objective of the hearing was to gather information and discuss tobacco taxation policies in line with the recent proposals from the European Commission.
Read more here:
Experts and MEPs express concerns for the revised Tobacco Excise Directive (TED)
Watch the meeting here:
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/webstreaming/subcommittee-on-tax-matters-ordinary-meeting_20251120-0900-COMMITTEE-FISC
FCTC COP11
The Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the WHO FCTC got underway on 17 November. Copwatch provided daily updates on what was going on at this very secretive tobacco control conference.
“Ugly” COP11 Attacks THR
Despite the constant attacks on THR and those advocating for harm reduction at COP11, agenda items with the biggest potential impact on THR were deferred until COP12.
Read more here:
https://filtermag.org/cop11-attacks-tobacco-harm-reduction/
What I Saw at the FCTC COP11 on Tobacco Control
Canadian consumer advocate, Maria Papaioannoy, gives her thoughts on COP11.
Read more here:
https://www.thefirebreak.org/p/what-i-saw-at-the-fctc-cop11-on-tobacco
Belgium
Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke wants to ban all vape flavours in Belgium except tobacco, following new advice from the Superior Health Council.
Read more here:
https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgium-plans-major-vape-flavour-ban-to-protect-young-people
Denmark
The number of young Danes who smoke has fallen dramatically to 2.7%, officially a smoke free generation. The decrease in smoking has been attributed to a rise in the use of other nicotine products such as snus and vapes.
Read more here:
https://www.newsoresund.se/trendbrott-unga-danska-man-roker-och-dricker-mindre/
France
Proposed changes to French law which would severely impact safer nicotine products are to be discussed at the Senate, changes include an increase in taxation and an online sales ban. The proposals have previously been rejected by the National Assembly.
Read more here:
https://fr.vapingpost.com/article-23-amendements-senat/
Greece
Minister of National Economy and Finance, Mr. Pierrakakis, expressed strong concerns that the new tax burdens, proposed under a new tobacco tax directive, could hit the country's industrial production and exports and boost illicit trade.
Ireland
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland should work toward eliminating the use of vapes over time, as the Cabinet meets to consider the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025.
Read more here:
https://www.2firsts.com/news/ireland-to-ban-retail-sale-of-disposable-e-cigarettes-implement-strict-regulations-on-nicotine-marketing
Spain
Sweden’s ambassador to Spain has criticised the Spanish Governments’ plans to restrict nicotine content in pouches to a level so low that it would be a de facto prohibition. He urged the government to employ evidence-based regulation on products that can help people quit smoking.
Read more here:
https://svenskamagasinet.nu/nyheter/snuskriget-sveriges-ambassador-i-spanien-vill-se-balanserade-losningar/
ETHRA NEWS
On 5 November the European Parliament's Public Health Committee (SANT) met to discuss a range of topics including the EU's cardiovascular strategy. Ahead of that meeting ETHRA wrote to all members of SANT to share our submission to the EU Cardiovascular Health Plan Call for Evidence
See our submission here:
https://ethra.co/submissions/176-eu-cardiovascular-health-plan-call-for-evidence
ASH UK Evidence summary: The health effects of nicotine
The briefing summarises the current evidence on the health effects of nicotine and outlines the key implications for policymaking.
Read the Evidence Brief here:
https://ash.org.uk/uploads/ASH-evidence-brief-on-nicotine-V6-Nov25.pdf
Where are All the Smokers from the Gateway?
A side event at COP11 arranged by Smoke Free Partnership was held to “bring clarity” on Sweden and the role of nicotine pouches and snus. The panellist bizarrely ignored the fact that snus and pouches have been the driving force behind Sweden being on the brink of smoke-free status.
Read more here:
https://pouchforum.eu/2025/11/19/where-are-all-the-smokers-from-the-gateway/
Mapping Bloomberg's Billions Against Tobacco Harm Reduction
David Zaruk does a deep dive analysis on how Michael Bloomberg's wealth is funding anti-nicotine NGOs and influencing global tobacco control policies.
Read more here:
https://www.thefirebreak.org/p/mapping-bloombergs-billions-against
Two decades of global tobacco control: time for a rethink
Tobacco and nicotine research and policy experts call for an updated approach to tobacco control that incorporates harm reduction into FCTC governance. They argue that it would enable clinicians and public health practitioners to provide cessation and risk-reduction advice tailored to individual needs.
Read more here:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11739-025-04131-x
Something to watch:
A fascinating panel discussion from the Good COP event in Geneva, featuring Martin Cullip, Clive Bates, and Roger Bate.
All videos from the event can be found here