EU track and trace system risks missing the deadline

EU member states have not yet taken the necessary measures from the Tobacco Product Directive II to implement a track and trace system for tackling illicit tobacco trade, which risks creating disruptions in the single market, EURACTIV has learnt.

Smoking is slavery and against human rights, activists say

Smoking is a form of slavery and is completely incompatible with widely recognised human rights, activists against smoking have said. They also criticised the so-called novel tobacco products for muddying the waters with the claims of being "much less harmful". EURACTIV.com reports from Bucharest.

E-cigarettes should be treated as a normal consumer good, industry says

Electronic cigarettes should be seen as a normal consumer product and not be regulated under the Tobacco Products Directive, according to Giovanni Carucci, vice president EU affairs at British American Tobacco (BAT).

WHO official: With e-cigarettes, the tobacco industry just ‘changed clothes’

In an interview with EURACTIV.com, Dr Vera Luiza da Costa, the Head of Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), has lashed out against the tobacco industry, saying that with its push for electronic cigarettes the trade “just changed clothes while the content remains the same.”

Individual action against smoking is not enough, Romanian president says

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis accused the country’s socialist government on Tuesday (26 March) of failing to inform citizens about tobacco-related risks and ignoring prevention as a tool against smoking. EURACTIV.com reports from Bucharest.

EU health chief: Next Commission will strengthen tobacco rules

The next European Commission will propose strengthening tobacco regulations, based on a report showing how the Tobacco Product Directive (TPD) works in practice, the EU Commissioner responsible for health, Vytenis Andriukaitis, told EURACTIV.com in an interview.

Public health activists say eradicating tobacco must be a human right

Halting the spread of tobacco “epidemic” worldwide is a human right, which global leaders should recognise as such and take particular measures in this direction, public health activists told EURACTIV.com ahead of an anti-tobacco conference in Bucharest next week.

Tobacco control: What’s next?

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Tobacco consumption is the most significant cause of premature death in the EU, according to the European Commission. It is responsible for nearly 700,000 deaths every year.

EU Commission accused of ignoring science on e-cigarettes

The European Commission’s recent statement comparing electronic cigarettes to “poison” has prompted a strong reaction from stakeholders, who accused the EU executive of disregarding scientific evidence.

European Commission compares e-cigarettes to ‘poison’

The European Commission is "reluctant" to sit with the tobacco industry at the same table to discuss novel tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, a high-ranking EU official has said.

BAT: Need for a ‘consistent’ science-based view on e-cigarettes

The public health community needs to adopt a consistent science-based view on new generation tobacco products in order to properly inform regulators around the world and thereby shape a stable framework, James Murphy, the head of Reduced Risk Substantiation at British American Tobacco (BAT) told EURACTIV.com in an interview.

Disparities remain on how to tackle lung cancer in Europe, report says

Enhanced prevention measures, especially against tobacco and electronic cigarettes, combined with access to innovative treatments can help tackle rising lung cancer cases in Europe, a new study funded by the industry has found.

Can e-cigarettes help people quit smoking?

Electronic cigarettes and novel tobacco products have emerged as alternatives to traditional smoking, which is responsible for nearly 700,000 deaths every year in the EU.

Study finds rising illicit cigarette trade on social media

Social media and delivery services have become new outlets for organised crime activities when it comes to illicit cigarette trade, according to a new study that has raised eyebrows among EU policymakers.

Financial sector pledges to stop funding tobacco industry

A number of financial institutions have joined forces with public health leaders to fill in the “missing piece” of the puzzle and put an end to providing financing, insurance and investment to the tobacco industry. EURACTIV.com reports from Austria.

Commission remains ‘very cautious’ toward novel tobacco products, EU official says

The European Commission remains “cautious” toward novel tobacco products and has to continue collecting evidence on their impact on public health, according to a European Commission official. EURACTIV.com reports from Austria.

MEP: France is wrong to shun OLAF in tackling tobacco smuggling

France and other countries that need help tackling the rising illicit tobacco trade should ask for assistance from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), according to Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský.

OLAF: Up to France to request help on genuine cigarettes smuggled from Algeria

The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) stands ready to assist member states, such as France, in the fight against illicit tobacco trade with third countries, but it’s up to the national authorities to make a request, OLAF told EURACTIV.com. “OLAF will...

JTI boss: EU Scientific Advisory Mechanism could adjust tobacco directive to reality

The next European Commission should enhance its collaboration with the EU’s Scientific Advisory Mechanism (SAM), which would provide bias-free consultancy and eventually adjust the Tobacco Product Directive to the reality, JTI’s Ramunas Macius said in an interview with EURACTIV.com.  

WHO and EU clash with tobacco industry over plain packaging effectiveness

The drive to impose plain packaging on tobacco products, in the hope of discouraging current and potential smokers, has pitted the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the EU against the tobacco industry.