, In Brussels, a lack of transparency is undermining trust in policymaking and resulting in flawed policy. The handling of the survey on tobacco and nicotine exposes a pattern of selective transparency. The survey was , yet its unpublished data was used to support a member state’s bid to ban disposables – a type of e-cigarette.
Last March 2024, the European Commission’s directorate-general for health (DG SANTE) approved a disposable ban in Belgium. In its , SANTE cited an unknown ‘Special Eurobarometer 539’, which appeared to substantiate certain claims in support of the ban and which, strikingly, . Seeking clarity, I requested SANTE the document.
A response was promised for April 18 but in the weeks and months that followed, it seemed , including dragging out response times to the maximum, asking for clarification, and ultimately failing to send an initial reply within the mandated time. I reached out to other Commission services seeking answers. The EU Publications Office confirmed that the Eurobarometer and clarified that the norm is “to publish the data as soon as possible after they become available.
In some cases, there may however be a delay.” The Eurobarometer officials gave a more : “there is no specific or normal practice when it comes to when the European Commission makes use of its Eurobarometer data.” The Code of Good Administrative Behaviour, which every Commission official must follow, states that they “shall be consistent in its administrat.