The EU plans to introduce a tax on harmful foods and alcohol by 2026

The European Commission intends to introduce an EU-wide tax on ultra-processed harmful foods, alcohol and tobacco products. This is stated in the draft Cardiovascular Health Plan, which, according to Euractiv, will be presented in December. The document will become the EU’s first initiative dedicated to combating cardiovascular diseases — the most common cause of death in Europe.

The plan is based on three areas: prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. It is positioned as a continuation of the previous EU-wide plan to fight cancer. The draft also includes a revision of biotechnology legislation and updates to medical device rules.

According to the draft, the EU is not doing enough to prevent risk factors — including alcohol, tobacco and new nicotine products, as well as highly processed foods high in fats, sugar and salt. In response, it proposes introducing a unified tax on these categories of goods across all EU member states starting in 2026.

The European Commission also plans to revise tobacco control rules by 2027, aiming to reduce smoking among adults to less than 5% by 2040. Additional measures will address vaccination and eliminating gender disparities in access to healthcare.

The plan sets key goals for 2035: reducing cardiovascular mortality by 20%, ensuring 70% diagnosis and control of hypertension, and 80% for diabetes and obesity. In addition, the initiative “The EU Cares About Your Heart” will be launched, offering a personalised and digital approach to prevention.

The draft provides for scaling up artificial intelligence and data systems to improve eating habits, as well as creating a new system for assessing food processing levels. In 2026, the Commission will propose updated medical screening guidelines, including the creation of a network of specialised cardiovascular health centres. Twenty million euros will be allocated for implementing AI and digital solutions.

In the research section, a new Cardiovascular Innovation Roadmap will be launched with a budget of 2 million euros, complemented by 65 million euros for innovative medical care and 12 million euros for projects related to healthy and sustainable nutrition.