Tobacco Control Research Group, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK
Tobacco Control Research Group, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
Tob Control. 2021 Nov;30(e1):e4-e9. doi: 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-043875. Epub 2020 Oct 6.
The Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products requires all parties to establish a tobacco track and trace (T&T) system. In 2016, the European Commission held a public consultation on T&T implementation where parties were asked to respond online to 22 multiple-choice questions and were given additional opportunities to leave comments. In May 2019, the European Union's (EU) T&T system became operational. This paper explores tobacco industry influence over and policy positions within the consultation process.
We identified consultation respondents and investigated any financial links with the tobacco industry and if these were transparent. Respondent's answers to the consultation's multiple-choice questions were collated to explore whether industry-linked respondents held the same policy positions as transnational tobacco companies (TTCs). Associations between policy positions and respondent's financial link status were tested using χ and Cranmer's V tests.
Of the 197 consultation respondents identified, 131 (66.4%) had financial links to the industry; 29 (22.1%) were not transparent about these links. A large number of trade associations responded (87), the majority of which (74/87) had financial links to the industry. There was a clear divide in the policy preferences of respondents with and without a financial link. Collectively, respondents with a financial link supported an industry-operated T&T solution.
There was an extensive lobbying effort by the tobacco industry over the EU's T&T system, with TTCs' interests being represented repeatedly through multiple trade associations. The transparency requirements regarding consultation respondents' affiliations with relevant stakeholders (eg, tobacco manufacturers) should be improved for future consultations.
《烟草制品进出口及对外经济技术合作管理办法》要求所有缔约方建立烟草追踪与溯源（T&T）系统。2016 年，欧盟委员会就 T&T 的实施情况举行了公开咨询，各方在线回复了 22 个多项选择题，并获得了额外的评论机会。2019 年 5 月，欧盟的 T&T 系统开始运作。本文探讨了烟草业在咨询过程中的影响及其政策立场。
我们确定了咨询的答复者，并调查了他们与烟草业的任何财务联系，以及这些联系是否透明。我们整理了答复者对咨询多项选择题的答复，以探讨与行业有联系的答复者是否与跨国烟草公司（TTCs）持有相同的政策立场。使用 χ 和 Cranmer 的 V 检验检验政策立场与答复者财务联系状况之间的关系。
在确定的 197 名咨询答复者中，有 131 人（66.4%）与该行业有财务联系；29 人（22.1%）没有公开这些联系。许多贸易协会做出了回应（87 个），其中大多数（74/87）与该行业有财务联系。有财务联系的答复者和没有财务联系的答复者之间的政策偏好存在明显分歧。有财务联系的答复者集体支持行业运营的 T&T 解决方案。
烟草业对欧盟的 T&T 系统进行了广泛的游说，TTCs 的利益通过多个贸易协会反复得到体现。未来的咨询应改进关于咨询答复者与相关利益攸关方（如烟草制造商）关系的透明度要求。
