The European Commission is weighing a new tax on foods high in fat, sugar and salt, aiming to curb the EU’s rising burden of cardiovascular and metabolic illnesses.

The plan, described in internal material reviewed by DPA and reported by TASR, outlines a bloc-wide levy that would apply to heavily processed products.

The concept, still under discussion, is expected to surface formally in mid-December. Officials behind the draft argue that a modest, uniform surcharge across member states could shift eating habits without placing an excessive burden on households.

The tax would also encourage food manufacturers to reformulate products toward healthier standards.

Underlying the proposal is a long-standing concern: cardiovascular disease remains the EU’s deadliest health problem, responsible for more than 1.7 million deaths each year.

The economic cost is estimated above €280 billion annually, a figure Brussels considers unsustainable.

The document ties frequent consumption of processed foods to higher risks of obesity, diabetes and other metabolic disorders. In addition to the food-related levy, the Commission plans to update tobacco control rules by 2027 and introduce a shared European rating system for processed food.

If approved, the tax would form part of a wider strategy to reduce cardiovascular mortality by 20 percent by 2035. Revenue collected could support EU-level initiatives promoting healthier diets.

In addition to the taxes, the health plan also provides for the modernization of tobacco control legislation by 2027 and the introduction of a Europe-wide rating system for processed foods.

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