7th Oct 2013 05:47
BRUSSELS (Alliance News) - For almost a year, the European Union has been hashing out new rules to make tobacco products less attractive. Next week, they may just go up in smoke.
Observers say there is a chance that the European Parliament may block quick progress on the issue, amid an aggressive campaign by the tobacco industry.
"We're very used to lobbying here, but this is completely on a scale beyond any of the lobbying that has been going on before," said Tom Hanney, one of Ireland's ambassadors to the EU.
His country has been a leading supporter of the new rules, ushering through a compromise between EU governments on the issue in June, while Ireland held the bloc's presidency.
Now the parliament has to set out its position. Supporters of the reforms worry that the legislature is so split that when it votes on Tuesday it may not give its negotiators a mandate yet to start talks with EU governments on a final deal.
That would likely make it impossible for the new rules to be agreed to before European elections next year, and could even push them to 2015, one diplomat said.
Those in favour of a delay say more time could allow the parliament to find a stronger consensus before it enters negotiations with member states.
"The situation in the parliament is on a knife-edge," the diplomat said. "The outcome is very unpredictable."
On Friday, 16 of the EU's 28 health ministers joined forces in an attempt to win parliamentarians over to their cause.
"Tobacco remains the single largest cause of avoidable illness in the EU, causing the deaths of an estimated 700,000 EU citizens each year," the ministers of Austria, Belgium, Britain, Cyprus, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden said.
They urged parliamentarians to "take this opportunity to significantly improve the health of millions of EU citizens by working ... for the early adoption of the tobacco products directive."
The approach agreed to by EU governments would force tobacco firms to cover 65 per cent of the front and back of their packages with health warnings, including with photos of diseases caused by smoking.
Flavourings would be banned, leading to a gradual phase-out of most menthol cigarettes. Slim cigarettes would have to be sold in less attractive packaging, while e-cigarettes would be regulated.
Supporters argue the measures are key to prevent people from starting to smoke at a young age, when - as EU parliamentarian Carl Schlyter put it this week - "you believe you're immortal" and end up getting hooked.
The tobacco industry says it is all for reducing the number of smoking-related diseases, but that the EU is going too far.
"What should be avoided are measures that are prohibitionist in nature, that remove products enjoyed by millions and millions of adult smokers," said Ronan Barry of British American Tobacco, an international firm with brands such as Lucky Strike and Pall Mall.
He argued that excessive regulation could spur demand for illegal products, with banned goods such as menthol cigarettes moving to the black market - leading to easier access for children and less revenue for cash-strapped governments.
Consumers should also be free to make their own choices, he said, feeding into popular accusations that the EU is over-regulating. The tobacco industry has additionally warned about job losses if the measures are implemented.
Barry rejected suggestions that the tobacco industry had unleashed an over-dimensioned lobbying campaign.
"There's a lot of activity, but it's not true that it's all the tobacco industry," he said. "There are at least as many organizations and people lobbying against as there are lobbying for."
Lobbying by tobacco companies is limited by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which called for restricted interactions between the industry and lawmakers.
Socialist parliamentarian Linda McAvan, who is overseeing the tobacco file for the legislature, has expressed hope that it will in the end be able to deliver.
She said: "It would be hard to explain to citizens that the European Parliament lacks the political will to take a stand on such an important topic for public health."
Copyright dpa
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