By Timothy S. Donahue

Top Takeaways:

• Trade scrutiny: Inquiry targets DG TRADE’s tobacco industry contacts.
• FCTC question: Complaint alleges interactions breached EU obligations.
• Records sought: Ombudswoman wants Commission’s meeting files.

Brussels is again facing tobacco lobbying scrutiny.

European Ombudswoman Teresa Anjinho has opened an inquiry into how the European Commission’s trade department manages interactions with tobacco industry representatives, following allegations that its contacts were unnecessary and insufficiently transparent.

The inquiry targets the Directorate-General for Trade (DG TRADE) and follows a complaint from a civil society organization specializing in tobacco control, according to the European Ombudswoman’s office.

The organization based its complaint on information obtained through public-access requests for Commission documents. It alleges that DG TRADE engaged in “regular, unnecessary, and nontransparent interactions with the tobacco industry.”

The complainant also argues that the contacts risk undermining tobacco-control efforts and public health policies beyond the European Union, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

The Ombudswoman has not found that DG TRADE violated EU rules. The inquiry is ongoing and will examine how the Commission handled the interactions.

As an initial step, Anjinho has requested an inspection of Commission documents concerning contacts between DG TRADE and the tobacco industry.

At issue is the EU’s implementation of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

As a party to the FCTC, the EU is required under Article 5.3 to protect public health policies from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry. Guidelines implementing the provision call for interactions with the industry to occur only when necessary for effective tobacco regulation and to be transparent.

The latest inquiry follows an earlier investigation into the Commission’s handling of tobacco lobbying.

In 2023, the European Ombudsman found maladministration in the Commission’s failure to ensure adequate transparency across its departments regarding meetings with tobacco industry representatives.

The office also criticized the Commission for failing to ensure that its departments systematically considered whether meetings with tobacco representatives were necessary before the meetings took place.

The Commission subsequently conducted a risk assessment examining its departments’ exposure to tobacco industry lobbying and adopted measures to improve its handling of such contacts.

According to the Ombudswoman’s office, the Commission stated at the time that its departments should have a better understanding of how to comply with the applicable requirements.

The new investigation will examine whether those changes have affected DG TRADE’s dealings with tobacco companies and representatives.

The underlying complaint was submitted on April 30. The Ombudswoman’s office began examining the matter in May and formally opened Case 1036/2026/AML on Aug. 18. A description of the inquiry was published on Aug. 20.

The investigation comes as the European Commission works on several tobacco and nicotine policy issues, but the Ombudswoman’s announcement does not identify the companies involved, detail any individual meetings, or conclude that any contacts were improper.