By Timothy S. Donahue

Top Takeaways:

• Major review: The European Commission launched a public consultation to revise the EU TPD and the Tobacco Advertising Directive.
• Novel products focus: Regulators highlighted growing concerns about emerging nicotine and tobacco products, particularly among youth.
• Industry impact: The review could reshape future EU rules governing vaping products, nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, and tobacco advertising.

The European Commission has formally launched the next phase of its long-awaited review of EU tobacco and nicotine regulations.

Last week, the Commission opened a public consultation and call for evidence on revisions to the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and the Tobacco Advertising Directive, two of the bloc’s cornerstone tobacco-control laws.

The consultation is open through June 15, 2026, and will help shape legislative proposals expected by the end of the year. The review is expected to have major implications for the nicotine and tobacco industry across Europe, particularly regarding vaping products, nicotine pouches, heated tobacco products, and future advertising restrictions.

The Commission said it is seeking feedback from businesses, public health authorities, academics, researchers, and consumers. Current EU tobacco laws regulate the manufacture, presentation, sale, advertising, and sponsorship of tobacco and related products across member states.

The consultation follows the Commission’s recent evaluation of the EU tobacco-control framework, which found that existing rules helped reduce smoking prevalence and tobacco-related disease across Europe while also revealing new regulatory gaps related to emerging nicotine products.

“The findings of the evaluation show that the EU rules on tobacco control have contributed to a significant decline in smoking and tobacco-related deaths across the EU,” the Commission said. “At the same time, the evaluation highlights growing challenges linked to the rapid emergence of novel tobacco and nicotine products, particularly among young people.”

The review also aligns directly with the EU’s broader public health agenda, including Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the Safe Hearts Plan, both of which identify tobacco control as a major disease-prevention priority. The Commission reiterated that the broader policy goal remains creating a “tobacco-free generation” by 2040.

For the nicotine industry, the review could be one of the most significant regulatory developments in Europe in years.

Industry stakeholders have increasingly warned that the existing TPD framework was written before the rapid expansion of nicotine pouches, disposable vapes, and newer heated tobacco technologies, resulting in fragmented regulation across EU member states.

Several countries, including France and Belgium, have recently moved toward tighter restrictions on oral nicotine products and disposable vaping devices, while Sweden and other harm-reduction advocates continue to push for more risk-proportionate regulation focused on reducing cigarette smoking.

The review could also reopen debates about flavor restrictions, nicotine limits, packaging requirements, coordinated taxation, cross-border advertising rules, and online sales enforcement. The Commission’s evaluation previously noted that differing national rules governing newer nicotine products have created internal market inconsistencies and enforcement challenges.

At the same time, public health groups across Europe continue pressuring regulators to take stronger action on flavored nicotine products, youth marketing, and social media promotion.

The consultation phase is expected to draw significant participation from tobacco manufacturers, vape companies, nicotine pouch producers, retailers, public health organizations, and consumer advocacy groups over the coming weeks.

The Commission said the feedback will help identify “the problems to be solved, the key action areas proposed, and the likely impact” of future revisions.