Efforts to mitigate the devastation of tobacco-attributable morbidity and mortality have advanced in Europe and consist of the adoption of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), and the WHO FCTC. In the face of a changing tobacco product landscape, where dual- and poly-tobacco use has become an increasing public health problem, strategies for addressing the tobacco epidemic must also evolve. Moreover, despite the existence of regulations that are efficacious in reducing the demand for tobacco products, effective implementation remains a persistent challenge across EU MS with an imperative and documented need for regional actions and non-fragmented communication. In light of the above the ENSP 2020 objectives are as follows:
1: To assist and support the central EU level empower capacity at the EU MS National level, for Civil Society with implementing and assessing tobacco control legislation through the provision of scientific evidence and awareness raising
2: To empower capacity at the EU MS level, Civil Society, Policy Makers, clinicians and other stakeholders through the provision of science-based evidence, increased health literacy and improving access to tobacco dependence treatment.
3: To enhance the exchange of tobacco control information across countries, disciplines and generations.
4: To enhance alliances between EU tobacco control stakeholders, to promote sustainability and to ensure the wise use of EU funds.

Results that will be generated include reports on expert mapping, TPD assessment, toolkits, fact sheets, hot topics, guidelines and online modules and information sharing venues. End users and target groups of the 2020 ENSP OG include but are not limited to EU regulators, EU MS regulators, Civil Society, Youth, the Media, the Public, Clinicians and other stakeholders.
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TOB-G project aims to develop and implement an innovative and cost effective approach to prevent chronic diseases related to tobacco dependence. The specialized guidelines for high risks groups will be developed according to ENSP’s evidence based and good practices in tobacco cessation and with ERS TCC scientific material on smoking health hazards. High risk populations are considered those who suffer from cardiovascular diseases, COPD, type 2 diabetes, adolescents & pregnant women.The developed guidelines will contain strategies and recommendations designed to assist health professionals in delivering and supporting effective treatment of dependence on tobacco. Recommendations will be made as a result of scientific reviews and evidence of good practices from scientific groups that will consist of health professionals of different expertise. To monitor the quality of the approach a pilot implementation of the tobacco cessation will be conducting for each group. The assessment of the effectiveness of the tobacco cessation guidelines will be the primary aim of the scientific groups and will be measured by the number of people quitting smoking after the pilot implementation. Since the tobacco cessation guidelines will be addressed to health professionals, the partnership will develop and implement an e-learning training for guidelines use.The project fits perfectly the objectives and priorities of the 3rd Health Programme, as it will assist health professionals to provide guidance and targeted prevention to high risk populations engaged to the unfavourable lifestyle of smoking. Training primary care physicians addresses the lack of specialist doctors in EU and increases access to tobacco cessation specialists. TOB-G project will enhance the overall European capacity in the treatment of tobacco dependence, thus, in the prevention of chronic diseases, through offering smoking cessation tools, appropriately assessed and fitted to the specific needs of high risk groups.
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