Confederation of European Community Cigarette Manufacturers

The Confederation of European Community Cigarette Manufacturers (CECCM) is a European Union lobbying organisation funded and controlled by the tobacco industry. It promotes what it calls "reasonable and workable tobacco regulation" in the EU.

Support for the Tobacco Industry Platform

CECCM is an observer member of the Tobacco Industry Platform and provides secretarial services for it.

Current Lobbying

In October 2011, CECCM criticised the report written by the European Commission's Director-General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) over the outcome of the Commission's consultation on the possible revision to the EU Tobacco Products Directive Revision (TPD). CECCM questioned the "accuracy and transparency of the report" and wondered if the "Commission's high standards of administrative practice have been observed".

CECCM added that "We are of the impressions that views of CECCM member companies, which represent over 50% of cigarette market, are not accurately reflected in the consultation report".

Historical Lobbying / Activities

Links with the Adam Smith Institute

In 1992 CECCM's Board approved proposals for two separate but complementary projects to be commissioned with a budget of £30,000. The first proposal was for an Adam Smith Institute "report by Russell Lewis and Timothy Evans of some 20,000 to 25,000 words". The Group noted:

The report would position the EC anti-tobacco proposals in the context of a host of proposals which progressively restrict personal freedom, and present a punitive counter-argument for the traditional values of European individual freedom. The ASI has agreed in principle to adopt the proposed report and effectively to market it as an ASI report. The ASI has contacts with a number or institutes across Europe and will attempt, if required, a collaborative public relations campaign on the report; its tobacco report may therefore be expected to generate substantial press and media coverage.

A year later in 1993, the ASI published a book Europe at Risk - Bureaucratic Betrayal of the European Ideal, by Tim Evans and Russell Lewis (also see below). The book said:

One of the most disturbing features of the European Community in recent years has been the proliferation of campaigns designed to restrict personal freedom and individual choice. The nanny state has gone beyond mere warnings and now is taking positive action to protect us from the alleged dangers of alcohol, tobacco and certain foods. Around the Commission has sprung up a huge lobby, with its own vested interests, systematically seeking to impose upon individuals its own 'politically correct' views.

Nowhere in its booklet did the ASI say the tobacco lobby funded the book.

Later in 1993, CECCM's Advertising and Sponsorship Study Group "unanimously recommended" that another proposal by Tim Evans for a further book entitled Where Europe? An analysis of the rise of political paternalism in developed democratic States be commissioned at a total cost of £15,800 (including underwriting publishing costs). CECCM's Board approved the proposed expenditure.

Links with John Luik

In 1993, CECCM hired John Luik to write a paper attacking the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s 1992 Risk Assessment on second hand tobacco smoke, The Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking - Lung Cancer and Other Disorders

Freedom to Smoke

In mid-1990s, CECCM ran an industry committee called "Freedom to Smoke". Essentially this was an industry campaign on Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS). The minutes of a Corporate Members' Sub-Committee on Freedom to Smoke meeting held in June 1995 show that a broad range of the tobacco industry was represented: (Other meetings held between 1993 and 1995 had similar attendance).

• R. L. J. Toet, (in the chair), CECCM
• M. Amauts, RJ Reynolds - Brussels
• M. van Boven, Rothmans International Europe, (RIE) - Amsterdam
• H. Bryan, British American Tobacco (BA)
• S. Carlson, Philip Morris - EMA - Lausanne
• W.Dembach, RJR - Cologne
• A J. Nelmes, Gallaher
• W. D. Rowland, Rothmans International, (RIT) - Denham
• P. Sadler, Imperial
• J. Sullivan, Philip Morris - Brussels
• C. de Vallois, CECCM
• In attendance B. Halligan, CIPA, a public affairs consultancy

Apologies

• R. Pauling, Reemtsma (a German tobacco company, subsidiary of Imperial since 2002)
• M. Winokur, Philip Morris International - New York

At the meetings, held every two months, the industry and the lobby organisations discussed new regulation and developments in the various European countries. Courtesy campaigns were key in 1995; in the UK the possible smoking ban on pubs was being dealt with by the Tobacco Manufacturers' Association at the level of magistrates, the Home Office and also brewers. In the same minutes quoted here, Forest is praised for "working hard on this issue and [...] making numerous contacts with the brewery federation".

Using False Trademark Claims

In 2000, CECCM briefed the European Union on the industry's position on a proposed ban on 'light' and 'mild' cigarettes. It claimed the proposal would be a violation of TRIPS and Paris Convention in the case of names such as 'Mild Seven' - even though the industry has long known that trademark laws offer tobacco companies little protection.

• See analysis at The Plain Pack Group page.

Lobbying Strategy

"Normal" Relations Despite Being from the Tobacco Industry

In 1999, Antonella Pederiva identified the medium and long-term perspectives for CECCM on its lobbying strategy. The paper noted that "normally, professional associations can count on a receptive environment in order to establish an ongoing discussion process," however, "this is not the case with the tobacco industry".

"The priority is to develop and maintain a contact network with speaking partners in the different Institutions, in particular the European Commission, with MEPs and representatives of the Member States, dealing with tobacco issues.

A solid contact network is the result of constructive dialogue, exchange of good and objective information and figures, personal investment and respect. A solid contact network allows the industry to pass its messages and try to influence the decisional process. The EU Institutions should consider CECCM as such a direct and credible counterpart in any discussion on tobacco related issues. CECCM is representing a responsible industry producing fully respectable and widely used products. Relationships with the EU authorities should be "normal" as they are for any other industry."

The "Contact Net" at the Commission

Pederiva went on to argue that a "meeting of a high level CECCM delegation with the President of the Commission and the most relevant Commissioners for our industry should be organized, in order to position CECCM as "the" Association representing the tobacco sector".

She identified which departments to target:

DGs/Departments: Relationships already existing should be improved and strengthened, in particular with the new "Health and consumer protection" department (ex DG V and DG XXIV), the "taxation" department (ex DG XXI), "internal market and industrial affairs" (ex DG III and DG XV) and "agriculture and fisheries" (ex DG VI and DG XIV) departments."

An informal monthly visit should be paid to the most relevant officials of the "health and consumer protection" department, as far as they are and will be the major legislators in the tobacco sector. The visit could be an informal chat on how things are going and on the latest news. At least one official in each of the other departments, involved in the discussion of tobacco issues, should be identified and contacted, so as to complete the contact net in the Commission. It is important to trace these officials that may give information and help in any inter-services procedure on draft of legislation. This research of key officials has already been launched, despite the difficulties of tracing officials and contacting them."

Cabinets: A speaking partner in each of the new Cabinets has to be identified. Priority to be given to Internal Market and Industrial affairs - Taxation - Health and Consumer protection - Agriculture Cabinets. These key people have to be met."

"...Indirect Lobbying Counter-Action on our Behalf"

CECCM contracted a public affairs agency to monitor the decision making process in Brussels. The agency is called CIPA, and Brendan Halligan is often present at CECCM meetings on their behalf.

In December 1993, when the European Parliament adopted a Motion for Resolution on Health Education in Schools, CECCM's director asked CIPA to monitor the tabling of amendments "in case any of them should call for indirect lobbying counter-action on our behalf".

Members

CECCM’s controlling members are three large European-based tobacco manufacturers:

• British American Tobacco
• Imperial Tobacco
• Japan Tobacco International
• Philip Morris left CECCM in 2006.

But it also serves as a coordinating body for 15 European tobacco manufacturers’ associations:

• Belgium – Cimabel
• Denmark – Tobaksindustrien
• Estonia – TEA
• Finland – FTIF
• Germany – DZV
• Greece – ESKEE
• Hungary – HATI
• Ireland – ITMAC
• Latvia - STS
• Lithuania - NGTA
• Netherlands – SSI
• Spain – AET
• Sweden – STMA
• United Kingdom – TMA

It also has two observer members:

• RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company
• Groupement des Industries Européennes du Tabac – an interest group for small and medium sized European tobacco product manufacturers

It is funded by the three controlling members, who all pay an annual membership fee of equal size. The organisation spent €500,000 to €550,000 on EU lobbying in 2010.

Staff

Its staff are:

• Antonella Pederiva, Secretary General, who has been at CECCM since 1999.
• Mario Mueller, Senior General Manager
• Alessandro Tschirkov, EU Affairs Manager
• M. Brucker, Junior Manager

CECCM's chairman in 2012 is Pardeep Grewal. The previous chairman was Michiel Reerink, who worked for Imperial Tobacco until 2011 and now works for Japan Tobacco International.

TobaccoTactics Resources

CECCM is affiliated with the following organisations, according to its entry on the European Union lobbying register:

• The American European Community Association
• European Policy Centre
• Federation of European and International Associations
• British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium
• Kangaroo Group