Tobacco lobby steps up Brussels push as EU rewrites rules

European lawmakers have significantly increased their meetings with tobacco and nicotine lobbyists, holding over 400 meetings since summer 2024, compared to around 100 in the previous term. This data, analyzed by POLITICO, shows a marked rise in engagement with lobbyists, particularly among right-leaning MEPs, with 75% of these meetings involving members from center-right and far-right parties. The information was sourced from the Transparency Register, which mandates public disclosure of such meetings.