{"id":6204,"date":"2026-10-19T18:05:17","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T16:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test-jtieuaffairs.be\/?p=6204"},"modified":"2026-11-03T17:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:22:09","slug":"can-flawed-questions-produce-sound-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test-jtieuaffairs.be\/index.php\/2026\/10\/19\/can-flawed-questions-produce-sound-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"Can flawed questions produce sound policy?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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home page <\/a>\u2190 Buzz@Bruss! Edition #11 \u2190 Can flawed questions produce sound policy?<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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In the previous article, we argued that any future revision should be guided by evidence, necessity and proportionality. But that raises another question: can policymakers rely on the evidence generated by the consultation itself?<\/strong><\/p>

In our consultation response, we highlight several features of the Commission’s questionnaire that risk making it harder to gather neutral, differentiated and decision-relevant evidence.<\/p>


A consultation should test assumptions, not validate them
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Public consultations are intended to help policymakers understand a broad range of evidence, perspectives and policy options. They work best when questions are neutral and allow respondents to challenge assumptions as well as support them.<\/p>

In our assessment, several questions appear to start from the premise that further intervention is needed and then ask respondents what form that intervention should take. That may sound like a subtle distinction, but it matters. A consultation should help determine whether a problem exists and whether action is justified, not simply explore the design of potential new measures.<\/p>


When categories blur, evidence can too
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One concern we highlighted is the consultation’s definition of “young people” as a single group covering individuals aged 10 to 24.<\/p>

That approach combines minors and legal-age adults despite their very different legal status and policy considerations. It also makes it more difficult to distinguish evidence relating to youth access and uptake from evidence relating to informed adult consumers. For a process built around evidence-based policymaking, those distinctions matter.<\/p>

The same issue arises when different product categories are grouped together. Heated tobacco products, e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are frequently treated as a single category despite significant differences in consumer profiles, market dynamics and regulatory frameworks. The Commission’s own evaluation treats these product categories separately. We believe the consultation should have done the same.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n4 questions about the consultation process\n<\/strong>\n