Illegal trade of tobacco is causing a stir - and not without reason: 💶 It is estimated that 13 billion euros a year are lost from the budgets of the EU and its member states. ❗️ Illegal production has increased across Europe. 🇪🇺 At the same time, the EU's response lacks a clear common direction. (translated)
„EU-Kommission und Mitgliedstaaten müssen mehr tun, um dieses kriminelle Phänomen einzudämmen, wenn sie Gesundheit, Geld und Sicherheit ihrer Bürgerinnen und Bürger wirklich schützen wollen. Die organisierte Kriminalität hat eine Strategie. Wir brauchen ebenfalls eine.“
"Si queremos realmente salvaguardar la salud, el bolsillo y la seguridad de los ciudadanos, la Comisión Europea y los Estados miembro deben intensificar sus esfuerzos para luchar sin miedo contra esta actividad delictiva"
The EU's response to the problem is far too fragmented. Responsibility is divided among too many actors, and a common direction is lacking. When member states' practices differ from each other and there are gaps in information exchange, criminals ruthlessly exploit these weaknesses. (translated)
The EU is trying to combat billion-euro illegal tobacco trade without a proper situational picture of the market structure or even its actual size. This is not enough. The ECA audit published today, which I have been responsible for, shows serious deficiencies in the EU's actions. 1/5 (translated)
"Sie sind nicht einmal aufeinander abgestimmt. Sie gehen das Problem auf unterschiedliche Weise an. Wir müssen also unsere Kräfte bündeln"
The EU is striving for strategic autonomy and achieving defense readiness by 2030. The message from EU inspectors is clear: increasing funding alone is not enough. Spending must be optimized so that euros genuinely translate into capability. (translated)
EU defense spending increased by 80% from 2020 to 2025. More money is available than ever. At the same time, the focus has shifted from crisis response to strengthening defense readiness in the longer term. Still, the 2030 defense goals are at risk of not being achieved. 1/4 (translated)
"The tobacco shop is a billion-euro market in the EU. It eats up tax revenues, endangers public health, and finances organized crime. We will publish my accountability report on Tuesday, September 8, which addresses the EU's response to the issue. More on the topic next week." (translated)
The piano sounds the final whistle for the largest recovery program in EU history. The IMF praises the recovery actions. The ECA, on the other hand, reminds us of an important matter: we still do not know well enough where the hundreds of billions ultimately ended up. Read more in my column: https://t.co/I1oNLcrAK2 (translated)
In a world of growing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, the EU cannot afford to remain idle. Success requires investments in competitiveness, resilience, and operational capacity. It's not just about economic growth, but the EU's ability to perform under intense pressure. (translated)
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