Est. 2min 25-10-2007 (updated: 28-05-2012 ) smoking_in_public.jpg Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram The European Parliament has urged member states to impose unrestricted smoking bans in all enclosed workplaces, public buildings and transport, and asked the Commission to draft specific rules on the protection of non-smokers if they fail to do so. In response to the Commission consultative green paper, the European Parliament adopted, on 24 October 2007, an own-initiative report drafted by the House’s Health and Environment Committee on a smoke-free Europe. The report, adopted by a large majority, backed wide-ranging restrictions on smoking in public places, rules to make it harder for underage people to buy cigarettes and the designation of environmental tobacco smoke as a class one carcinogen. In particular, the MEPs urge member states to introduce, within two years, unrestricted national smoking bans in all enclosed workplaces, including catering establishments and all enclosed public buildings and transport. If these objectives are not attained by all the EU-27, the Commission is urged to submit by 2011 a proposal for EU rules on the protection of non-smokers in the field of employment protection. In this non-binding report, MEPs also backed an amendment calling on the Commission to “investigate the health risks associated with consumption of snus [oral tobacco] and its impact on the consumption of cigarettes”. Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne has backed such demand as she thinks that snus can be “one of the possible ways of ensuring a smoke free environment and help people to quit smoking”. Placing on the market tobacco for oral use has been illegal in the EU since 1992, and just two days ago, the Commission referred Finland to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for failing to comply with EU legislation on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products, which specifically prohibits the sale of oral tobacco. “Given the health risks linked to the use of oral tobacco, the Commission has no tolerance for allowing the placing on the market of that product,” said European Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou. Read more with Euractiv Vienna conference sets out priorities for healthcare ICTEstablishing electronic health records and connecting the information with hospital and remote environments such as the physician's office and private homes should be the top priorities for improving the quality of healthcare over the next two years, according to senior healthcare professionals. Positions"The Commission now has a clear mandate for the most comprehensive EU-level action towards a smoke-free Europe, which is a major boost for public health in Europe. Enclosed workplaces, including restaurants and bars, all enclosed public buildings, transport and public playgrounds should become completely free of smoke. This is a clear rejection of the concept of separate smoking rooms," said Green MEP Hiltrud Breyer. Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne was pleased that an amendment calling for more research on health risks of oral tobacco got sufficient backing. "Snus may be one of the possible ways of ensuring a smoke-free environment and help people to quit smoking, but there are still risks and it is important that the EU investigates these fully," she said in a statement. MEP Françoise Grossetête (EPP-ED), however, regretted the adoption of such an amendment. She finds that "such demand has nothing to do in the report in question as health risks of oral tobacco are largely known". Sir Alexander Macara, Vice President of the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME), and John Chave, Secretary General of The Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU), welcomed the EP's firm stance to fight smoking, but also regretted that the amendment on oral tobacco was passed. "Although the European Parliament's decision to call for more research into snus is justified from a scientific perspective, we would be very surprised if any new research would justify the legalisation of a substance that has been found to cause oral, pancreatic, neck and other cancers, as well as increasing the risk of heart disease and strokes. There is a real danger that research into snus, and discussions about its possible legalization, will serve to distract policy makers from the need to prevent, and help people overcome their addiction to nicotine," they said in a statement. Parliament's budget spokesman MEP Richard Ashworth noted that "subsidising tobacco production in the European Union is inconsistent with the aims and objections of the public health programme of the EU and consequently represents very poor value for money for EU citizens." BackgroundThe Commission's Green Paper on policy options for a Europe free from tobacco smoke, adopted in January 2007, launched a wide public debate on the best way to tackle passive smoking in the EU. The Commission was also looking for stakeholders' views to ascertain what role it is expected to play in this respect itself. The policy options range from the current status quo to introducing "binding legislation". Somewhere in between lie voluntary measures and self-regulation, use of co-ordination to converge national smoke-free legislations and Commission or Council recommendations. The paper concluded that a "comprehensive smoke-free policy would bring the greatest health benefit to the population". Timeline 2008: Commission communication on a smoke-free Europe due for publication. Depending on first Council discussions, the Commission could put forward relevant proposals before the end of the year. Further ReadingEU official documents European Parliament resolution:Tobacco smoke: policy options at EU level(24 October 2007) [debate] European Parliament news:EP calls for EU-wide ban on smoking in the workplace(24 October 2007) [FR] [FR] [DE] Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety:Report on the Green Paper 'Towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke: policy options at EU level'(19 September 2007) PreLex:Green Paper: Towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke: policy options at EU level [FR] [FR] [DE] Political Groups Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance press release:EP calls for strong EU and national action to protect people from passive smoking(24 October 2007) Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe press release:A small step to a smoke free Europe(24 October 2007) Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats press release:Tabac: le Parlement européen pour une stratégie commune.(24 October 2007) Conservatives in the European ParliamentConservatives want to stamp out tobacco subsidies costing British taxpayers(24 October 2007)
