Malta’s Tobacco Tax Objection Exposes a Wider Challenge for EU Nicotine Policy
The European Union’s proposed tobacco tax overhaul has encountered another obstacle, with Malta withholding support for a compromise backed by the other 26 member states. At the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) meeting on 9 November 2026, ministers failed to reach the unanimous agreement required to revise the Tobacco Taxation Directive. The proposal would…