E-cigarette regulation rumpus threatens whole EU Tobacco Products Directive

Disagreement over how to regulate electronic cigarettes is holding up a deal on the EU’s revised Tobacco Products Directive, according to a story by Charlie Dunmore for Reuters.

In talks aimed at finalizing legislative proposals by the end of the year, the European Parliament has pushed for a light touch approach to electronic cigarettes, which it regards as a less harmful alternative to smoking, but EU governments are seeking more restrictive rules.

The main sticking point is the parliament’s demand that e-cigarettes can be sold with refillable nicotine cartridges, rather than as single-use items as demanded by member states.

Unless negotiators can reach a compromise in two final rounds of talks this week, the row could delay by up to two years the adoption of the new TPD.

The alternative would be to leave electronic cigarettes unregulated at EU-level as at present, leaving individual governments to decide what rules – if any – to apply.

Dunmore’s story is at: http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/12/16/eu-tobacco-law-idINDEE9BF0CK20131216.