Who would have guessed? Brussels, the epicenter of European democracy and science-based policymaking gives rise to the spread of conspiracies.

At the end of January, the Commission decided to delay the publication of the non-binding recommendations to member states about smoke-free environments.

Regrettably, the Belgian Minister for Health used his appearance at a hearing in the European Parliament to allude to ‘powerful industry interests’; an allegation even denied by the European Commission. Needless to say, JTI rejects such unfounded allegations. In order to ensure that no single voice unduly influences decisions on public policies, we have long advocated for more transparency, accountability and inclusiveness. While some call on governments not to hear selected perspectives and to exclude actors from important public deliberations, we believe that doing so is counterproductive and undermines trust in public institutions – exclusion nurtures distrust among the population and only supports the rise of conspiracies in society. Rather than blaming and shaming singular ideas or vested interests, we need to acknowledge that everybody has vested interests. Only a constant discourse of all perspectives in a transparent and rules-based manner can help define the best outcome for the common public interest.

Tobacco is among the most heavily regulated industries and, as such, JTI supports evidence-based, proportionate and effective regulation. All industries have a right – and an obligation – to express their point of view regarding regulation that affects their products and industry. JTI seeks to do so with the following responsibilities: 

• To be open and transparent in our dialogue with governmental authorities;
• To be respectful of each country’s decision-making process;
• To offer solutions, whenever possible, that meet the principles of Better Regulation;
• To provide credible evidence substantiating our positions and arguments.