The FILTERED advocacy toolkit is a practical guide designed to support individuals and organisations in advocating for pro-health taxes. These are taxes applied to products that harm health, such as tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks.

Pro-health taxes are powerful tools: they encourage healthier choices, help prevent non-communicable diseases, and generate revenue that governments can reinvest in healthcare, education, and other essential public services.

What makes this toolkit unique is its specific focus on Europe. It offers clear, actionable guidance tailored to both European Union and national contexts, enabling effective advocacy at multiple levels of governance.

How to make the most of this toolkit

This toolkit is designed to be flexible. There is no need to read it from start to finish; instead, focus on the sections that are most relevant to your current goals.

1. Find what you need quickly
• Background: The rationale behind pro-health taxes
• Strategy: Practical tips and effective approaches for taxation advocacy
• Checklist: Technical recommendations to ensure a tax is effective and well-designed

2. Choose how deeply to engage
• For a quick overview: Key Highlights for Advocates summarise the most important points in just a few minutes
• For a deeper dive: Full chapters provide detailed, evidence-based insights

3. Take action
The toolkit includes real-world examples to inspire action, including a template letter to the Minister of Finance. These can serve as a starting point - arguments and tools can be adapted to fit specific contexts and needs.

Acknowledgements

Developed as part of the FILTERED project (From Silos to Synergies to Prevent NCDs) – co-funded by the EU – this toolkit is the result of collaborative work with partners across Europe to explore advocacy, health promotion, and action on NCD risk factors. The experts and partners whose commitment made this possible include Dr Ángel López Nicolás (Professor, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena), Dr Hana Ross (Honorary Research Associate, University of Cape Town; Senior Research Associate, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies), and colleagues from Eurocare, European Heart Network, Youth Health Organisation, Women’s Health and Family Planning, and Advocacy Center "Life".