EU: Greek member of the European Parliament (MEP) Afroditi Latinopoulou, of the right-wing Patriots for Europe group, has submitted a
parliamentary question to the European Commission raising concerns over the compatibility of the recently approved revision of the
2009 Council recommendation on smoke-free environments with the fundamental right to individual freedom. Latinopoulou asked whether the Commission has looked at alternative approaches, such as educational programmes or incentives to quit smoking to achieve similar results without restricting individual freedoms, and how the Commission plans to ensure a balance between protecting public health and respecting individual freedoms in the context of its tobacco control policy.