EFFAT’s project “Shaping a Just Transition for the Workforce in the Tobacco Sector” was launched with the objective of putting workers and their concerns at the centre of the discussion, the project has provided an important platform to discuss the challenges and concerns of the workers in the sector and to shape what just transition means for the tobacco sector workers.
The European tobacco sector is undergoing profound structural change driven by a combination of health-related, environmental and digital transformations. Declining consumption patterns, the emergence of new tobacco and nicotine products, changing tobacco legislation, outsourcing of production to Asia and the digitalisation of production processes are reshaping the sector at an unprecedented pace. These developments have significant consequences for employment, working conditions and skills requirements, making it essential that workers are not left behind in this transition.
Workers’ primary concern is uncertainty: uncertainty about the future of the sector and, above all, about the future of their jobs.
Against this backdrop, EFFAT has launched this project to contribute to a just transition towards a sustainable future for workers in the tobacco sector. The project places workers and their trade unions at the centre of the triple transition – green, digital and health – and aims to ensure that transformation processes are socially fair, inclusive and shaped by those concerned. A just transition requires anticipation, social dialogue and strong collective bargaining to safeguard quality employment, enable reskilling and upskilling, lifelong learning and secure workers’ voices at all levels of decision-making.
The project mostly aimed at:
- Understanding the transformations of the tobacco sector ;
- Getting an overview on the impact on employment and the jobs of the future ;
- Developing the way to just transition towards a sustainable future of the workers through collective bargaining and social dialogue ;
- Strengthening the capacity of EFFAT members to cope with future challenges of the sector and ensure a strong workers’ voice in the future transformation of the sector.
The following events took place within the framework of the project:
- Three Steering Group Committee meetings were held to provide recommendations and guidance on the project methodology and activities.
- Two workshops were organised throughout the project to engage stakeholders and gather input.
- One webinar was conducted to further support knowledge exchange and discussion.
- A final conference, organised in Brussels on 15 January 2026, presented and discussed the outcomes and conclusions of the project.
As part of this project, EFFAT produced a 15-minute documentary ‘The Last Puff’, which highlights what it means to work in today’s tobacco sector and the human stories behind technological, environmental, and legislative changes.
The film follows workers, technicians, and industry experts across Europe, showing how automation, digitalisation, outsourcing, and restructuring are reshaping communities. Through intimate interviews, it asks urgent questions: Can Europe’s tobacco industry transition to a sustainable future without leaving its workforce behind? What does a “just transition” look like in practice? Who decides the fate of those most affected?
Hereby the links to the EFFAT documentary ‘The Last Puff’ : VO with English subtitles – VO with Spanish subtitles – VO with French subtitles
EFFAT is convinced that the uncertainty the sector is experiencing is not inevitable. With the right policies and governance, clarity and predictability can be brought to the sector.
To this end, recommendations have been discussed and drafted together with EFFAT affiliates setting out EFFAT’s demands and actions at the different levels where decisions affecting the sector are taken – to anticipate change, protect jobs and develop pathways towards a just transition, shaping the future of the sector with the full involvement of trade unions.
As part of the project, EFFAT has developed the following deliverables:
- A Research Report by Progressive Policies: EN – FR
- EFFAT Recommendations: EN – DE – FR – IT– ES – PL
- A Flyer on our Documentary ‘The last Puff’
- EFFAT Documentary ‘The Last Puff’ : VO with English subtitles – VO with Spanish subtitles – VO with French subtitles
For more information: Wiebke Warneck, Political Secretary Food, Drink & Tobacco, EFFAT
The project “Shaping a Just Transition for the Workforce in the Tobacco Sector” (Ref. 101143436) was co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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