In a historical remark, the European Commission (EC) made an announcement informing that it would restrict the sale of flavoured, heated tobacco products in the European Union. The ruling came today, June 29.
The European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, providing information on the matter, stated that “By pulling flavoured heated tobacco from the market we are taking yet another step towards realizing our vision under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to build a ‘Tobacco Free Generation’ with less than five percent of the population using tobacco by 2040. With nine out of 10 lung cancers caused by tobacco, we want to make smoking as unattractive as possible to safeguard the health of our citizens & save lives”.
The Commission noted that this proposal came after the sale of heated tobacco products witnessed a significant hike which is 10% among the European states. EC then notified that this increase had been reported in more than five nations.
On the other hand, the overall rise in sales in the entire region of Europe increased by 2.5% of total sales of tobacco products.
Kyriakides further informed that there is an urgent need to reduce tobacco consumption and a more stringent enforcement, adding that the prime focus and importance is to save the younger population.
The EU ministers and the European Parliament will scrutinize the placed proposal so that it can be enforced within the time frame of 20 days.
The EC, in its released statement, then added that the European states would be having 8 months to transpose the directive into their national law; following this, after three months of transition, these provisions will begin to apply.
In addition to this, the EU ministers reached a deal today on five of the Fit for 55 proposals which aim to put the EU on the path towards climate neutrality in 2050.