An organisation that bills itself as an agency and PR firm for talented writers turns out to be part of a broad original US network of libertarian organisations around the Atlas Network. Young Voices is therefore another mouthpiece for the tobacco industry.

By the web editor

Behind a plea not to impose excise duties on alternative smoking products, it turns out there is a lesser-known front organisation for the tobacco industry. On the website Emerging Europe, Lika Kobeshavidze writes an argument on behalf of Young Voices Europe around the fallacy that excise taxes encourage illicit trade. Using France and the Netherlands as examples, where excise duty increases, have led to the black-market flourishing.

Europe should not go down that road, Kobeshavidze writes, because then illegal trade will spread to the whole EU. She cites Euro Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra, who has tax issues in his portfolio, and took a firm stance on e-cigarettes and other alternatives in February. Hoekstra, without naming a deadline, announced a revision of the Tobacco Excise Directive so that minimum excise duties on tobacco will go up and tax on alternatives like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco will also become mandatory across the EU.

In her piece, Kobeshavidze argues that Hoekstra was spreading misinformation, referring to a piece on the Brussels Report website that appears to have been written by a policymaker from the World Vapers’ Alliance, which is known to be an advocacy group for e-cigarette users, and is in reality a known front organisation of the tobacco industry. Kobeshavidze, however, fails to mention that harmonisation of excise duties in the EU is precisely the solution to curb illicit trade, as it reduces the price differential

Agency for talent

Surely now the alarm bells are starting to ring loudly. Who is Lika Kobeshavidze? And what kind of organisation is Young Voices of Europe anyway? Kobeshavidze turns out to be a Georgian political author and journalist who is a fellow at Young Voices Europe. According to her biography on Emerging Europe, she specialises in EU policy and regional security in Europe. She did a master’s at the Sorbonne in Paris, and around this year a second masters

European Studies at Lund University in Sweden. Since February, she has also been working as a research assistant at the University of Malmö, her LinkedIn profile states.

A young talent and therefore selected for a fellowship at Young Voices of Europe. That turns out to be the European branch of the US non-profit Young Voices, which is described as a talent agency and PR company for students and young professionals who favour freedom. Young Voices of Europe “works as an editor, agent and mentor for writers under 35. Young Voices aims to provide a platform for writers who believe in freedom.”

Immediately below this, is the comment that Young Voices is completely independent in its editorial policy and that partners and supporters have no influence on the articles. However, it is notable that the website’s blog contains a number of critical articles on European tobacco policy, including a piece by Alberto Gómez Hernández. He is the policy maker of the World Vapers’ Alliance who opposed excise duty increases on alternative smoking products in the piece on Brussels Report. The article on Young Voices of Europe has the same thrust towards the Portuguese government.

Part of Atlas Network

None of this should come as a surprise if we look at the organisations behind the American Young Voices. On the website, under the heading Memberships, the Atlas Network, State Policy Network and Bridge Alliance are mentioned. The Advisory Board also includes representatives from the Consumer Choice Centre and Reason Magazine. All are red flags for tobacco industry meddling, as the Atlas Network page on Tobacco Tactics of the University of Bath shows. That explains the American NGO’s core description: “Young Voices opens avenues for talented libertarian and conservative writers to launch fulfilling careers.” And so indirectly with support from the tobacco industry. Be warned.