Within most European populations, smoking prevalence rates differ substantially according to people’s level of education, income or occupation. In European countries, smoking inequalities are generally high, and smoking is the largest single contributor to socio-economic inequalities in mortality. Significant inequalities in smoking are now emerging in all European countries, especially amongst young people. Tobacco products and secondhand smoke (SHS) kill, as documented in over 20 reports (eg: IARC, US Surgeon General). Exposure to SHS causes around 79.000 deaths every year in the EU, including:- Deaths from lung cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke and chronic non-neoplastic respiratory disease; - Deaths in childhood - Significant morbidity, both acute and chronicSpecial Eurobarometer 429/2015 indicates that almost one third of European citizens currently smoke, including cigarettes, cigars and pipes. As smoking is responsible for half the difference in deaths across socio-economic groups, tobacco control has a major role to play in reducing health and social inequalities in Europe.With an increased capacity within its Secretariat, ENSP has the challenging task in 2016 to locally support its network members in the implementation of the TPD 2014/40/EU after its transposition into national laws by the month of May 2016. With activities based on scientific evidence and academic research, including a scientific committee, a new peer reviewed journal and a network of universities involved in tobacco control, ENSP has all the necessary competences and expertise to create a real impact in the de-normalisation of tobacco use in Europe. Remaining the only structured network specifically dedicated to tobacco control at European level, its work highly contributes to the comprehensive coordination of national and international tobacco control initiatives. ENSP 2016 work programme contributes to its wider 3-year strategy.
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Tobacco consumption is the major single cause for premature deaths in the European Union (EU).
Special Eurobarometer 458/2017 indicates that over a quarter (26%) of European citizens are currently smoking, and an increase in consumption amongst young people aged 15-24 is observed since 2014 (from 24% to 29%). Smoking within the EU is estimated to cause 700.000 deaths annually, half of which are among 35–69-year-olds. As smoking is responsible for half the difference in deaths across socio-economic groups, tobacco control has a major role to play in reducing health and social inequalities.
ENSP plays a major role in the EU to prevent the tobacco industry from biasing and slowing down the tobacco control community effort. Key objectives for 2018 are:
O.1 - To assist and support the European Institutions with the complete implementation of tobacco control legislation, through the effective transposition and enforcement of the TPD (2014/40/EU) and the implementation of the WHO FCTC - through the provision of solid scientific evidence and awareness raising at the EU level.
O. 2 -To strengthen advocacy capacity at EU MS National level, and more particularly to empower Civil Society organisations, Policy Makers, academics, experts and all other relevant stakeholders through the provision of science based evidence, increased health literacy, promotion of healthy lifestyle decisions, disease prevention and improving access to tobacco dependence treatment, through a wide range of channels and innovative tools
O. 3 - To reduce health inequalities due to tobacco use at the micro level, through focusing on the 3rd Health Programme thematic priority areas and tobacco use, and through the engagement of youth in tobacco control activities
O.4 - To enhance the sustainability of the actions performed through the Operating Grant so as to ensure the strategic long term development and return on EU investment in the post Operating Grant period

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In the fourth and last year of the multi-annual work programme under our FPA 2018-2021, the Smoke Free Partnership coalition work plan for 2021 will continue the work towards the achievement of the overarching goal of preventing cancer and chronic diseases through smoking prevention at EU and national level with a special focus on young people and health in all policies:
- The campaign for increasing minimum excise duties on tobacco products as part of the revision of the EU Tobacco Tax Directive.
- The campaign to promote tobacco control research.
- The campaign to recognise the role of tobacco control funding within international development assistance programmes at EU and member state level as part of chronic disease prevention and sustainable health systems.
- The campaign to reduce and eliminate the tobacco industry interference in the fight against the illicit trade of tobacco products at EU and global level.
- The campaign to strengthen tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) restrictions and enforcement at national and European level.
- The campaign to communicate the role, value and impact of FCTC implementation to policy makers in EU and national institutions, particularly in the context of the lessons drawn from the coronavirus crisis for European health systems.
- The ongoing activities to monitor, expose and rebut tobacco industry interference across all policy work.
- Co-ordinating European civil society advocacy ahead of, during, and after the 9th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the FCTC (COP9) and the 2nd Meeting of the Parties to the Illicit Trade Protocol (MOP2) .
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The Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) is the only Coalition of national, pan-European and international NGOs working exclusively on EU policy analysis and advocacy linked to the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Since its creation in 2005, SFP has led many successful campaigns to advance important EU smoking prevention policy areas, most notably European smoke-free policies and the Tobacco Products Directive, but also the EU Tobacco Tax Directive and policies against illicit tobacco trade. SFP has been recognised for its tobacco control work by the World Health Organisation with the World No Tobacco Day Award in 2011. SFP was also a recipient of the American Cancer Society’s 2015 Luther L. Terry Award for outstanding global achievement and exemplary leadership in Tobacco Control.
This application demonstrates how our strategic objectives directly respond to the first three specific priority areas of the 2017 Call for Proposals for Operating Grants. In particular, SFP and its Coalition Partners will assist the EU institutions and national governments with information and evidence-based intelligence and advice for the development of smoking prevention policies and the promotion of healthy lifestyles to prevent cancer and chronic diseases at EU and national level with a special focus on young people, reducing health inequalities, and promoting health in all policies. SFP will contributing to civil dialogue processes to increase public authorities’ commitment in this area by spearheading successful campaigns and building advocacy capacity among civil society organisations. This application also describes how we will contribute to the objectives of the European Solidarity Corps.
Based on our previous track record of producing results, this application also demonstrates how SFP and its Coalition partners will continue to contribute to the overarching and specific objectives of the Third Health Programme (2014-2020).
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