Brussels / New York, 21 August 2025 – As negotiations on the United Nations Political Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) enter their final phase, EU public health advocates are calling on leading negotiators and Member States from the European Union and WHO European region to explicitly endorse fiscal measures that both reduce consumption of health-harming products and make healthy diets more affordable.
In an open letter addressed to negotiators from the WHO European region, the European Public Health Alliance warn that watered-down language could threaten progress in addressing major, preventable health risks that cut millions of lives short each year.
“We can no longer afford soft commitments when bold, evidence-based action is within reach,” said Sara Bertucci, Policy Manager at the European Public Health Alliance. “There is no ambiguity over fiscal measures being not only effective at reducing consumption of harmful products that drive up NCDs burden, but also essential to make fruits and vegetables more affordable. The declaration must reflect that.”
Health taxes are already in place in more than 100 countries, with growing evidence of their impact in shifting environments and personal choices towards healthier lifestyles. Yet references to these measures in the latest version of the declaration remain vague and risk falling short of meaningful impact.
The open letter urges negotiators to:
- Strengthen Article 42, point VII, with a clear commitment to fiscal measures that make healthy diets affordable, including zero-rating VAT on raw fruits and vegetables.
- Strengthen paragraph 43, committing to “implement or increase” health taxes;
- Clearly endorse taxation on SSBs, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods;
- Reject ambiguous or voluntary language that could weaken implementation;
- Reaffirm governments’ sovereign right to protect public health from commercial pressures.
The final Political Declaration is expected to be endorsed at the Fourth UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health, during the UN General Assembly in September 2025.
For media inquiries, contact:
Sara Bertucci, Policy Manager
European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)