Brussels, October 14 2024
Tobacco Europe wrote this day to the Ombudsman to draw attention on a potential conflict of interest that involves Open Evidence, the leading party in the consortium contracted by the European Commission for services concerning EU actions in tobacco control, including the ongoing revision of the Tobacco control acquis.
This letter follows TE’s previous correspondence shared with the Ombudsman on 13th March, which already highlighted our concerns regarding both Open Evidence and ENSP (under investigation).
As detailed in the attached letter, Tobacco Europe and its members are worried about potential breaches of confidentiality, professional misconduct, and conflicts of interest, which could compromise the impartiality and objectivity required for the contractual work. This is why we urge the Ombudsman to thoroughly investigate these concerns and take appropriate actions towards the Commission to ensure the integrity and impartiality of the contracted work and that the proper measures are put in place to prevent such misconducts.
The full document can be found here: Tobacco Europe letter to the Ombudsman on Open Evidence 14.10.24
