Tag: European Union

  • EU Pushing Again for Stricter Smoking Rules

    EU Pushing Again for Stricter Smoking Rules

    Credit: Doganmesut

    EU countries agreed Tuesday on a push for stricter anti-smoking rules, backing bans on smoking and vaping in many outdoor areas, including playgrounds and cafe patios.

    Health ministers from the bloc’s 27 nations meeting in Brussels adopted a recommendation inviting member states to crack down on secondhand smoke and vapor.

    “Today’s agreement is a crucial step towards our goal of a tobacco-free generation in Europe and is critical in protecting our children and young people from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke,” said the EU’s health commissioner, Oliver Varhelyi.

    The recommendation is non-binding, as health is the responsibility of individual member states. However, it indicates the policies governments could pursue in the future as they seek to reduce smoke-related deaths and ailments.

    It passed with all countries voting in favor apart from Germany and Greece, which abstained, underscoring some political divisions. Last week, the European Parliament voted against a similar text, according to media.

    The document approved on Tuesday calls on EU countries to extend restrictions in place for cigarettes to cover “emerging products”, such as heated tobacco devices and electronic cigarettes that are increasingly popular with young people. Governments should “provide effective protection” from aerosols emitted by these in indoor environments such as offices and public buildings.

    Following an initial proposal put forward by the European Commission in September, the text says such protection should also be granted in some outdoor areas. This, in practice, entails that all smoking should be banned in locations including swimming pools, beaches, zoos, rooftop bars, and restaurant terraces.

  • Smoke-Free Resolution Rejected

    Smoke-Free Resolution Rejected

    The European Parliament rejected a resolution that would have equated vaping with smoking in outdoor spaces, according to the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA).

    Michael Landl, director of the WVA, stated: “This decision demonstrates that facts and consumer choice can prevail over fearmongering and overregulation, dealing a blow to the creeping nanny state mentality that has too often characterized EU regulations. It shows that when citizens make their voices heard, and when policymakers are presented with clear evidence, positive outcomes are possible. This outcome sets a promising precedent for future EU policymaking, one that respects both public health goals and individual freedoms.”

  • EU Lawmakers to Vote on Outdoor Smoking

    EU Lawmakers to Vote on Outdoor Smoking

    Photo: Taco TUinstra

    Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will vote on a draft resolution on smoke-free and aerosol-free environments this week, according to Euractiv.

    The resolution proposes extending the ban to key outdoor areas such as outdoor restaurants and cafes, workplaces, surroundings of healthcare facilities, educational institutions, care facilities and public transport, including bus stops and tram stops as well as train stations. Railway platforms, airports, recreational areas and other areas of high congregation would also be included in the rule.

    The draft resolution also calls for research on the risks of secondhand exposure to heated tobacco and aerosols, including from e-cigarettes. The document highlights the need to combat illicit sales, stating that “the Commission and member states should commit to taking stricter measures.”

    MEPs expect the Commission to provide member states with necessary funding to implement health policies, and the MEPs are likely to call on the Commission to present a report to Parliament and the Council on the progress and implementation of the Council Recommendations in EU countries no later than four years after the resolution is adopted.

  • EU Tobacco Strategy Failing: Critics

    EU Tobacco Strategy Failing: Critics

    Image: Dzmitry

    Restrictive policies on safer nicotine alternatives are hindering progress in the EU’s battle against smoking, according to Smoke Free Sweden.

    A recent analysis by the group revealed that, at current rates, the EU will not meet its “smoke free” target for another 76 years.

    Smoke Free Sweden contrasts the situation in Sweden, where regulatory accommodation of a lower-risk nicotine products—snus—has led to record-low smoking rates, with that in the remainder of the EU, where snus is banned and regulators have cracked down on other alternative products, such as e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn products.

    According to Smoke Free Sweden, widespread resistance to safer alternatives in other nations has pushed the EU’s average smoking rate five times higher than Sweden’s.

    “It is time for the EU to recognize that restrictive policies on safer nicotine alternatives are costing lives,” said Delon Human, lead author of the report Missing The Target in a statement.

    “The data clearly show that countries prioritizing harm reduction are achieving the smoke free goals that remain a distant dream for other member states. Only by embracing safer alternatives can the EU hope to reverse the current trends, save lives and achieve its long-awaited smoke free goal.”

    The data clearly show that countries prioritizing harm reduction are achieving the smoke free goals that remain a distant dream for other member states.

    Delon Human, lead author, Missing the Target

    According to Smoke Free Sweden, Missing The Target uncovers fundamental flaws in the EU’s approach to achieving its goal of a 5 percent smoking rate by 2040. The 5 percent rate is the internationally recognized benchmark for “smoke free” status.

    At its current rate, EU smoking prevalence is projected to drop below 5 percent by 2100, the report found.

    What’s more, in nations with severe restrictions on safer nicotine alternatives, cigarette smoking has not only persisted but, in some cases, increased. Estonia, where vape flavors are banned, has seen a staggering 38.89 percent rise in smoking—evidence, according to Smoke Free Sweden, that restrictive policies may be backfiring dramatically.

    By contrast, Sweden is on the brink of achieving its smoke-free target 16 years ahead of the EU’s goal. The key to its success, according to Smoke Free Sweden, lies in making safer nicotine alternatives accessible, acceptable and affordable. The widespread availability of alternatives such as snus, nicotine pouches and vapes has driven smoking rates down to near smoke-free levels.

    Likewise, Czechia’s embrace of tobacco harm reduction (THR) principles has contributed to a 23 percent drop in smoking rates over the past four years, Missing the Target points out.

    “The EU’s current tobacco control policy—relying heavily on taxation, smoking bans and product regulations—has produced only incremental reductions in smoking,” said report co-author Anders Milton, a physician and former president of the Swedish Medical Association.

    “A growing body of evidence points to the need for a modernized, evidence-based framework that embraces safer alternatives as part of a comprehensive THR strategy.”

  • EU Fraud Office Boosts Cooperation Against Illicits

    EU Fraud Office Boosts Cooperation Against Illicits

    Photo: Europol

    The European Anti-Fraud office (OLAF) held its annual tobacco conference Oct. 8-10 in Dublin. The event brought together over 90 participants representing customs and national police authorities of EU member states and third countries, the World Customs Organization, Europol and industry officials, among other stakeholders.

    Participants discussed strategies and trends and exchanged best practices in order to enhance international cooperation in combating tobacco smuggling. During the conference, OLAF presented an overview of developments on water pipe tobacco and new generation tobacco products, which have gained popularity in recent years.  

    According to OLAF, the illegal tobacco trade poses a significant threat to public health, deprives the EU and member states of substantial tax revenues and fuels organized crime networks. It undermines anti-smoking and public health campaigns, and violates the EU and EU member state rules on manufacturing, distribution and sale. In 2023, OLAF-associated operations led to the seizure of 616 million illicit cigarettes, 140 tons of raw tobacco and 6 tons of water pipe tobacco, preventing the loss of an estimated €150 million ($164 million) in revenue loss in the EU.

    The goal of the conference was to build stronger, more robust and coordinated international efforts to combat the illegal tobacco trade, thereby protecting public health, safeguarding revenues and disrupting the illicit networks involved in smuggling operations.

  • EU Urged to Adjust Regulatory Framework

    EU Urged to Adjust Regulatory Framework

    Unless the EU changes its strategies, the trading bloc is unlikely to achieve “smoke-free status by the target date,” according to a briefing published by We Are Innovation (WAI).

    Titled “The EU’s Smoke-Free Future and the Role of Innovation—Findings from the Special Eurobarometer 539,” the paper notes that 24 percent of Europeans still smoke, placing the EU significantly behind its goal of becoming “smoke-free” by 2040. Global public health experts define a country as “smoke-free” when its smoking prevalence is 5 percent or less. The slow rate of smoking decline suggests that this scenario may not be reached until 2100—60 years after the target date.

    According to the authors of the paper, countries that enable smokers to move and stay away from cigarettes through progressive regulatory frameworks for alternative products are witnessing more significant decreases in their smoking rates. This is the case of Sweden, where smoking rates have been in freefall since 2006, and Czechia and Greece more recently. On the other hand, countries that do not endorse the role of innovation, like Estonia, have seen the opposite trend.

    The paper’s findings are consistent with research conducted outside the EU. The decline of smoking rates in the U.K., Switzerland, the U.S., New Zealand and Japan are linked to an uptake of vaping and tobacco-heating products, among others, according to its authors.

    WAI’s analysis suggests that innovative products act as an “off-ramp” to quit smoking rather than an “on-ramp” for nonsmokers to start using nicotine.

    The authors note that a smart regulatory environment for alternative products may have further benefits, like stimulating economic growth through enhancing entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation. It can also help reduce health disparities, as lower income groups tend to smoke more.

    The briefing paper suggests that the EU’s path toward a smoke-free future should include a reassessment of the current policies and a combination of traditional measures and programs with innovative alternatives to smoking. Prioritizing the accessibility, acceptability and affordability of diverse options to help with cessation can be the key.

  • EU Wants to Ban Outdoor Smoking and Vaping

    EU Wants to Ban Outdoor Smoking and Vaping

    The European Commission will propose extending smoking bans to outdoor areas, such as cafe terraces, bus stops and zoos. The proposal will also include nicotine-free products, according to leaked documents.

    The recommendations include “heated-tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, whether containing nicotine or nicotine-free.” The commission also wants to include “tobacco surrogates and any other smoke and/or aerosol emitting products, according to the documents.

    “The evidence on the use of emerging products as a cessation aid is inconclusive,” the documents said. The recommendations follow growing evidence that secondhand exposure to “aerosols from electronic cigarettes, both with and without nicotine, expose bystanders to quantifiable levels of particulate matter and key toxicants and contaminants.”

    “The level of coverage of smoke-free rules varies greatly based on the type of smoke-free environments, and the general level of coverage of outdoor spaces in smoke-free policies is low,” the commission said.

    The new guidelines would include outdoor or semi-outdoor, meaning partially covered or enclosed spaces like rooftops, balconies, porches and patios, associated with service establishments such as restaurants, bars and cafes. Public transport hubs like bus stops and airports and outdoor areas linked to workplaces, hospitals and nursing homes would also be included. Recreational areas where children are present would also be covered, including public playgrounds, amusement parks, swimming pools and zoos as well as educational premises ranging from preschool childcare to university.

    The new recommendations are expected to be announced Sept. 17.

    The leaked proposal has already received backlash from the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA). “The commission is making a disastrous mistake by lumping vaping with smoking,” said Michael Landl, director of the WVA. “This sends a dangerous message to millions of smokers who need vaping to quit. This falsely equates vaping with smoking, misleading millions into believing vaping is just as harmful when it’s actually 95 percent less harmful. There is virtually no secondhand vaping, and it is way less harmful than smoking. These recommendations will keep more people smoking and put public health at greater risk by equating vaping with smoking.”

    “The commission is outright misleading smokers by claiming vaping and smoking are the same,” said Alberto Gomez Hernandez, policy manager at the WVA. “This blatant disregard for science and consumer choice ignores the facts. Allowing vaping in smoke-free areas could drive more smokers to switch, cutting smoking deaths across Europe. Instead, they’re blocking a proven harm reduction tool and putting lives at risk.”

  • Illicit Market Remains a Concern: KPMG

    Illicit Market Remains a Concern: KPMG

    Photo: Europol

    European smokers bought more than 35 billion illicit cigarettes in 2023, accounting for 8.3 percent of total EU cigarette consumption, according to a KPMG study commissioned by Philip Morris Products.

    Counterfeit cigarettes remain one of the main sources of illicit tobacco consumption in the region, with 12.7 billion (36 percent) cigarettes consumed, as criminal networks increasingly target higher-taxed and higher-priced markets. Overall, governments in the EU lost an estimated €11.6 billion (12.82 billion) in tax revenue, up from €11.3 billion in 2022. France is still leading the ranking as the country with the largest illicit consumption in all of Europe, with 16.8 billion illicit cigarettes and an estimated €7.3 billion in tax revenues lost.

    “We are witnessing an evolution of organized crime groups in Europe, as they are increasingly locating production facilities nearer Western European countries,” said PMI Senior Vice President of External Affairs Christos Harpantidis in a statement.

    “We consider this phenomenon to be a direct consequence of failed policy approaches that have not done enough to curb illicit trade and reduce smoking prevalence, and it is putting consumers, governments, legitimate businesses, and society alike at risk.”

    We consider this phenomenon to be a direct consequence of failed policy approaches that have not done enough to curb illicit trade and reduce smoking prevalence, and it is putting consumers, governments, legitimate businesses, and society alike at risk.

    Christos Harpantidis, senior vice president, external affairs, PMI

    Interviews with law enforcement agencies included in the KPMG report shed light onto transnational organized crime’s professionalization of their role in the supply chain of illicit cigarettes. According to information from law enforcement agencies, publicly available media articles, and PMI estimates, criminals have expanded the setup of illegal cigarette factories; in 2023 alone, law enforcement data shows that at least 113 clandestine cigarette manufacturing sites in 22 European countries were disrupted by regional and local authorities.

    The steady increase of counterfeit cigarette consumption for the fourth consecutive year across Europe—mainly driven by the U.K. and Ukraine—is now coupled with the rise of all other illicit trade categories, including illicit whites and contraband. Combined with the continued recovery of cross-border legal volumes, after Covid-related travel restrictions ended in 2022, total non-domestic consumption across the 38 European countries in the study has also reached its highest level ever (15.5 percent), equal to more than one cigarette out of six.

    Despite this scenario, KPMG revealed that in 26 European countries illicit consumption share was less than 10 percent of total consumption. Of these, 16 markets had an illicit consumption share of less than 5 percent. And in 25 of the 38 European countries included in the study, the share of illicit cigarette consumption was either stable or declining, compared to 2022.

    We need to continue working together with law enforcement agencies and governments to ensure that illicit trade does not become an even larger problem across the EU.

    Massimo Andolina, president, Europe region, PMI

    “It’s truly encouraging to see a decrease in illicit consumption in countries like Italy, Poland, Romania, and Spain. We need to continue working together with law enforcement agencies and governments to ensure that illicit trade does not become an even larger problem across the EU,” stated Massimo Andolina, president, Europe region, PMI.

    For the first time since its publication in 2006, the KPMG annual research study has broadened its scope and incorporated all Balkan countries. Now, the research covers 38 countries: the 27 EU member states, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the U.K.

    The Balkan region has shown lower presence of illicit cigarettes compared to some of the Western European countries, such as France or the U.K. Ukraine, on the other hand, remains the country with the second highest volume of illicit cigarettes consumed, at 8.4 billion.

  • EU Seized 616 Million Illicit Cigarettes in 2023

    EU Seized 616 Million Illicit Cigarettes in 2023

    Photo: Europol

    The EU anti-fraud office’s (OLAF) and member state authorities seize 616 million illicit cigarettes, 140 tons of raw tobacco and 6 tons of water pipe tobacco in 2023, preventing the loss of over €151 million to EU and national budgets.

    It its 2023 report, OLAF details its operations against fraud in multiple areas, including the tobacco trade.

    Of the 616 million seized illicit cigarettes, 140.6 million comprised illicit production within the EU. And additional 110.1 million cigarettes were seized in Serbia and 34.25 million were seized in Israel.

    Of the cigarettes seized at EU borders, the largest number (84.62 million) came from Turkey. Other prominent origins included the United Arab Emirates (76.18 million cigarettes), Montenegro (62.23 million) and Indonesia (52.5 million).  

  • Health Ministers Debate EU-wide Flavor Ban

    Health Ministers Debate EU-wide Flavor Ban

    EU health ministers on June 21 discussed proposals to restrict flavors in consumer nicotine products, such as vapes and nicotine pouches.

    The EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will consider proposals from Latvia and Denmark to support an EU-wide flavor ban and a crackdown on cross-border sales, among other recommendations. 

    If the health ministers reach consensus support for these proposals, the next step would be to ask the European Commission to introduce draft legislation, which would eventually be voted on by the council and the European Parliament, according to Vaping360.

    Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Slovenia already ban vape flavors. Spain recently completed a public consultation on a proposed flavor ban while Latvia reportedly is in the process of introducing flavor restrictions.

    The Tobacco Products Directive allows the member states to set their own rules for flavors. The Latvian proposal asserts that individual bans don’t work due to cross-border sales, among other factors.

    Vaping activists have urged the EU to keep e-cigarette flavors legal.

    “By supporting a flavor ban, EU health ministers would push millions of adults back to smoking or into the black market, endangering lives and ignoring scientific evidence. A flavor ban would be a huge step backward for public health and harm reduction,” said Michael Landl, director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, in a statement.

    “Scientific research consistently shows that flavors play a crucial role in helping smokers quit. The endorsement of the flavor ban ignores those findings and the clear will of the people, opting instead for a policy that will cause more harm than good. The World Vapers’ Alliance will continue fighting for reasonable, evidence-based policies that truly protect public health.”