Background
The First Report on the application of the tobacco products Directive was adopted on 27 July 2005. The Second Report contains the second assessment of application of the Directive. It is largely based on the work done and information given by Member States in the Tobacco Products Regulatory Committee, as provided for under Article 10 of the Directive, during the last two years. The report incorporates views of stakeholders in the field of tobacco control as well as of the European Parliament and Member States. It also outlines potential areas for changes to the Directive in order to allow for a proper discussion with Member States and the European Parliament before the Commission considers submitting a formal proposal to amend the Directive.
Second Report on the Application of the Tobacco products Directive
The consultation meeting on the Second Report on the Application of the Tobacco products Directive 2001/37/EC was organised by Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection and was an opportunity for the non-governmental health organisations to have an open discussion and give comments to the document. During the metting it was generally agreed that:
Definitions (Article 2): There was a general agreement that Art 2 should be as comprehensive as possible.
Measurement Methods (Article 4) – There was a general agreement that ingredients reporting should be made mandatory, in electronic standardised format and that penalties should be required if manufacturers don’t conform.
Labelling (Article 5) - NGOs supported the following:
Making pictorial warnings mandatory.
Pictorial warning should be on front as well as back of packs.
Bigger warnings.
Removing yields.
Have quitline number on packs.
Health warnings moved to top of packs.
System of rotation for warnings.
Regularly changing pictures and text.
Generic packaging.
Onserts/inserts for cessation information.
Ingredients (Article 6): There was a general agreement that the EC should make the reporting formats on ingredients compulsory.
Tobacco for oral use (Article 8) – smokeless tobacco. The Commission pointed out that smokeless tobacco was unlikely to be unbanned.
Finally, NGOs expressed support for the Commission to look into the liability of tobacco industry issues.
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For further information
Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection.
Second Report on the Application of the Tobacco products Directive 2001/37/EC,
First Report on the application of the tobacco products Directive.
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