EU-s adótervek: csapás a dohányipari dolgozókra

EU-s adótervek: csapás a dohányipari dolgozókra

17. július 2025.| Mezőgazdaság, A reflektorfényben, Sajtóközlemény

Brüsszel, 17 2025 július - Representing tobacco workers in Europe, EFFAT expresses its deep concern over the European Commission's newly proposed recast of the Tobacco Excise Directive (TED). While we support the EU's public health objectives, we strongly oppose advancing tax policy without a detailed socio-economic assessment of its employment consequence for the thousands of working lives at stake.

The tobacco sector has been undergoing a significant transition for many years. As a result, thousands of workers now face growing uncertainty about their future. Yet, this proposal fails to address their concerns entirely.

A Sharp Tax Hike
The Commission's plan will introduce significant increases in excise duties across all tobacco products, with varying rates per category. This proposal would be gradually implemented by 2031.

Employment impact vague and dismissive
These significant measures have been decided by the European Commission without detailed knowledge of the impact of those tax increases on employment in Europe. No employment data is available.

A Impact Assessment's conclusion on employment is dismissive,simply stating that "impacts on economy-wide employment would be marginal and concentrated in a handful of Member States."

EFFAT position is clear

• We are not opposed to health goals, but they need to be achieved with the right tools
• The impact on employment in the tobacco sector has not been properly considered
• Such a sharp increase in taxation will undoubtedly affect jobs, especially in rural and economically fragile areas.
• The tobacco sector offers quality employment, with good working conditions and strong collective agreements. Europe should protect them, not undermine them

'This approach is worrying. Social and employment considerations are being sidelined in favour of fiscal targets. Workers and trade unions have been excluded from the discussion, despite being highly affected stakeholders. We are seeing top-down decisions with no transparency, no participation, and no plan for a safety net. Employment impact should not be treated as collateral damage" - says Wiebke Warneck, EFFAT Political Secretary in charge of the Tobacco Sector.

EFFAT calls on the EU institutions to:

• Halt progress on the TED revision until a comprehensive employment impact assessment végrehajtásra került.
• Biztosítják, hogy a trade unions and workers are meaningfully consulted.
• Fontossági sorrendet transparency, fairness, and a socially just transition in all decisions impacting the tobacco sector.
• Convene a meeting with EFFAT and employers in the tobacco industry to agree on emergency measures to mitigate impact and anticipate change across Europe.

Without these measures, the proposed changes will fail to gather social acceptance and will penalise workers in a transition that they haven't been made part of.

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