LATEST ALERTS
The European Commission (EC) is moving forward with a groundbreaking proposal to expand smoking restrictions, targeting e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products alongside traditional smoking. The revised 2009 Council recommendation on smoke-free environments aims to extend bans to outdoor spaces, such as children’s playgrounds, amusement parks, terraces and public transport hubs, signalling a bold shift in the EU’s public health agenda. The proposal comes after several delays, including a missed January deadline.
Although the recommendation is not legally binding, it could heavily influence national policies, encouraging EU member states to extend smoke-free regulations to areas where smoking is currently unrestricted. This includes both nicotine-containing and nicotine-free vaping products, reflecting mounting concerns over second-hand aerosol exposure. The Commission’s proposal, announced on 17th September, seeks to establish a common course of action to address inconsistent regulations across member states, creating a more uniform framework for protecting public spaces from harmful emissions.
The proposal is part of the EU’s broader Beating Cancer Plan, which seeks to reduce tobacco use by 30% by 2025 and drastically lower the number of smokers to just 5% of the EU population by 2040.
“The proposal, although significantly delayed, may indicate that tobacco-related policies are finally starting to move forward at the EU level,” said Sergi Riudalbàs, a legal analyst at ECigIntelligence, referring to the potential of discussions beginning on other tobacco-related policies, such as the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and the Tobacco Excise Directive (TED).
Protecting youth
The crackdown comes as studies reveal increasing second-hand exposure to toxic chemicals from vaping products, even in outdoor settings. The revised guidelines would make public playgrounds, amusement parks and zoos smoke-free zones and ban smoking in semi-enclosed areas, such as terraces in bars and restaurants.
While industry representatives have voiced concerns that the new rules could hurt demand for both traditional and emerging products, some acknowledged the value of protecting children from second-hand smoke in public spaces. The Commission’s proposal also says: “Representatives from the tobacco and related products industry […] agreed that extending the rules to outdoor spaces where children and adolescents are present might help to protect them from second-hand smoke and aerosols.”
This proposal is the first step in a multi-stage process. The EC needs to submit the proposal to the Council of the European Union for review. Although member states are not legally obligated to implement the recommendations, the guidelines could have significant sway in shaping future national laws on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, further advancing the EU’s anti-smoking goals.
– Antonia Di Lorenzo ECigIntelligence staff
Playground photo: Jinhan Moon
