ETHRA’s monthly roundup of news: Letter to President von der Leyen - Tax Directive update - Irish vape flavour ban - UK consultation & NNA guide - The Irreconcilable Conflict Principle - WHO is a risk-factor for cancer - Clive Bates interview - Dr Karl Lund presentation - Country updates. Read on for more.
Contents:
Letter to President von der Leyen
23 experts in tobacco and nicotine science & policy wrote to the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, to address false and misleading statements by Health Commissioner Várhely about safer nicotine products. The letter was also sent to all members of the European Parliament’s Public Health Committee (SANT).
Read the letter here:
https://clivebates.com/documents/EUmisinformationvonderLeyenFeb2026.pdf
Tobacco Tax Directive
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted an opinion on the Commission’s Tax Directive proposals. The opinion urges that any reform must be proportionate, predictable and economically sustainable, stressing that abrupt or excessive increases in excise duties risk fuelling illicit trade, undermining fiscal revenues and weakening public health outcomes.
Read more here:
https://www.eureporter.co/economy/2026/03/01/eu-advisory-body-warns-against-overreach-in-tobacco-tax-reform-innovation-competitiveness-and-sustainability-at-risk/
Parliamentary Question
Spanish MEP Nicolás González Casares references a WHO report which suggested that vapes and pouches act as a gateway to smoking, and projected Europe to have the highest rates of tobacco use by 2030. He asks the Commission what it intends to propose in order to regulate the sale and marketing of these products.
See the question here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2025-004076_EN.html
Health Commissioner Mr Várhelyi replied that the Commission is currently undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of the TPD and of the Tobacco Advertising Directive with a primary focus on addressing concerns about young people’s access to novel tobacco and nicotine products.
See the answer here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2025-004076-ASW_EN.html
Bulgaria
A complete ban on nicotine pouches was adopted on first reading in the Youth and Sports Committee, without any impact assessment or risk analysis of the policy.
Read more here:
https://www.mediapool.bg/balgarskata-politika-sreshtu-pusheneto-bez-nauchni-fakti-i-s-manipulatsii-news379771.html
France
France’s national health and safety agency ANSES has delivered one of the clearest statements yet from a major European health body that vaping is less harmful than smoking.
Read more here:
https://clearingtheair.eu/en/post/french-health-agency-confirms-vaping-far-less-harmful-than-smoking/
Germany
A new study has found that nicotine pouches are still being sold despite a sales ban being in effect.
Read more here:
https://www.t-online.de/leben/aktuelles/id_101150524/nikotinbeutel-studie-jede-siebte-packung-gefaelscht.html
More from Germany
Germany is set to ban menthol vapes and other flavours that contain cooling agents, experts and consumers warn of the unintended consequences of such a policy.
Read more here:
https://filtermag.org/germany-vape-flavor-ban-menthol/
Ireland
New regulations will limit vape flavours, prohibit all flavour descriptors and language other than basic names, and ban the sale of nicotine pouches to people under the age of 18.
Read more here:
https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/irish-news/government-limit-vape-flavours-advertising-36813466
Netherlands
The Netherlands has announced plans to raise the legal age for purchasing nicotine products to 21.
Read more here:
https://www.euractiv.com/news/dutch-bid-to-raise-nicotine-age-to-21-taps-into-europe-wide-shift/
More from the Netherlands
Dutch trade association esigbond wrote to the Belgian Superior Health Council to inform them about developments in the Netherlands since the introduction of the total flavour ban on vapes on 1 January 2024. The Superior Health Council published their advice on flavours at the end of last year at the request of the Belgian Health Minister.
Read the letter here:
https://www.esigbond.nl/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/20260209-Letter-to-the-SHC-wr-developments-in-NL-following-the-flavour-ban-in-e-cigarettes-en-GB.pdf
UK
The New Nicotine Alliance (@NNAlliance) has issued a briefing on the government’s proposed ban on vaping in public spaces. The guide will help consumers respond to the consultation.
Read more here:
NNA Briefing on the Proposed Ban of Vaping in Public Places
England May Ban Vaping in Cars When Kids Are Present
An Opinium survey found that 770,000 UK adults who vape could return to smoking if flavour options were restricted.
https://clearingtheair.eu/en/post/770000-uk-vapers-could-return-to-smoking-if-flavours-restricted-data-shows/
The Irreconcilable Conflict Principle (redux)
Clive Bates discusses the tobacco control tenet that there is an irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the tobacco industry and public health. He gives 8 examples of why this is wrong and dangerous.
Read more here:
https://clivebates.substack.com/p/the-irreconcilable-conflict-principle
The WHO is a risk-factor for cancer
In a new Code Against Cancer, the World Health Organisation opposes the most effective and popular way to reduce the most important modifiable cancer risk, smoking. So, what does that make WHO?
Read more here:
https://clivebates.substack.com/p/the-who-is-a-risk-factor-for-cancer
Tobacco Harm Reduction’s Heavy Hitter
Kiran Sidhu interviews Clive Bates on his role within the tobacco harm reduction movement, how he became interested in the topic, and his thoughts on the future of THR.
Read the interview here:
https://filtermag.org/tobacco-harm-reduction-clive-bates/
Something to watch:
Dr Karl E. Lund presents on product substitution in the nicotine market.