Brussels, 13 April 2026 — Seven consumer organisations from across Europe have signed an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, urging them to rethink the direction of the upcoming Tobacco Products Directive revision.

The letter directly challenges the Commission’s TPD evaluation report published earlier this month. It calls on the Commission to apply a risk-proportionate framework, protect adult access to less harmful alternatives, and learn from countries like Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Greece, which achieved some of the fastest smoking declines in Europe by embracing harm reduction rather than restricting it.

The signatories represent vapers, nicotine pouch users, and harm reduction advocates from Croatia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Greece, and beyond.

Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, said: “The Commission’s evaluation pointed in exactly the wrong direction. It lays the groundwork for more restrictions, more bans, less choice for smokers who want to quit. Consumers across Europe are watching this process closely and will not accept a TPD revision that makes less harmful alternatives to cigarettes harder to access. This report is an insult to science and a betrayal of the millions of (former) smokers across Europe.”