Abyss
Achiever
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 1,706
Dear Mr ******,
Thank you for your email regarding e-cigarettes and the revision of the European Tobacco Products Directive as proposed by the European Commission. I have received lots of correspondence from members of my constituency regarding this matter. At the first Strasbourg plenary session on 8th October*2013*the European Parliament passed the draft law with the aim of making tobacco products less attractive to young people.
The European Commission proposal was a response to developments in the tobacco industry and to tobacco products as well as the Commission's own report on the Application of the Tobacco Products Directive of*2007*and*2009, which identified potential areas for improvement. Further information can be found here:http://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/products/revision/index_en.htm
In Strasbourg MEPs voted for all cigarette packets in future to have large pictorial health warnings covering at least 65% of the surface (up from 30% to 40% at present on front and back of packages) to make packs less appealing. Packs of fewer than 20 cigarettes would be banned. However, MEPs rejected calls for a ban on slim cigarettes. The approved text also says that fruit, menthol flavours and small packs should be banned, and electronic cigarettes should be regulated but as medicinal products only if they claim curative or preventive properties.
The UK Liberal Democrat MEPs were instrumental in ensuring that e-cigarettes would not be classified as a medicinal product. My press release on the matter can be read here:
http://philbennion.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=185&catid=7&Itemid=196
Since October negotiations ("trilogues") between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, made up of Ministers from the Member State governments, have taken place in order to come to an agreement on a final text. I know concerns have been raised regarding the measures being too restrictive, such as the European Commission's proposal that all electronic cigarettes should be controlled by pharmaceutical legislation.
Although I was not part of the negotiations, as I hold no official role in the scrutiny of this Directive, our Liberal representative Frederique Ries MEP, who attended these meetings, has expressed her concerns. I know that during negotiations with representatives of EU governments MEPs insisted that the maximum nicotine content of e-cigs available for general sale should be 20mg/ml, a major increase on the 3mg originally proposed by the Commission and above the average routinely used.
During late night talks on 16th December*2013*I have been informed that the European Commission backed down on demands for a heavy regulation of electronic cigarettes. Plans for the product to be controlled by pharmacies, restricting the sale on the open market, have been stopped. Minimum nicotine content has also been set at 20mg/l, far higher than the 3mg the Commission had originally hoped for. 20mg/l is closely comparable to that of conventional cigarettes.
Refillable units, which are widely used at present, will continue to be available but will be subject to a health and safety review by the European Commission.* New proposals to guide their use could be introduced in*2016.
Although the final agreement will have to be approved by another vote of the European Parliament before it becomes law, I think this is a great achievement for MEPs in the face of stiff government opposition. Classifying e-cigarettes as a medicinal product would have greatly increased their cost, limited the product choices and restricted their retail availability. I know from correspondence from many constituents (as you have mentioned) that e-cigarettes have been instrumental in helping many people stop smoking tobacco cigarettes.*
Thank you again for your correspondence.
Yours sincerely,
Phil Bennion MEP
Office of Phillip Bennion MEP
6b Bolebridge Street
Tamworth
Staffordshire
B79 7PA
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Planet of the Vapes mobile app
Thank you for your email regarding e-cigarettes and the revision of the European Tobacco Products Directive as proposed by the European Commission. I have received lots of correspondence from members of my constituency regarding this matter. At the first Strasbourg plenary session on 8th October*2013*the European Parliament passed the draft law with the aim of making tobacco products less attractive to young people.
The European Commission proposal was a response to developments in the tobacco industry and to tobacco products as well as the Commission's own report on the Application of the Tobacco Products Directive of*2007*and*2009, which identified potential areas for improvement. Further information can be found here:http://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/products/revision/index_en.htm
In Strasbourg MEPs voted for all cigarette packets in future to have large pictorial health warnings covering at least 65% of the surface (up from 30% to 40% at present on front and back of packages) to make packs less appealing. Packs of fewer than 20 cigarettes would be banned. However, MEPs rejected calls for a ban on slim cigarettes. The approved text also says that fruit, menthol flavours and small packs should be banned, and electronic cigarettes should be regulated but as medicinal products only if they claim curative or preventive properties.
The UK Liberal Democrat MEPs were instrumental in ensuring that e-cigarettes would not be classified as a medicinal product. My press release on the matter can be read here:
http://philbennion.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=185&catid=7&Itemid=196
Since October negotiations ("trilogues") between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, made up of Ministers from the Member State governments, have taken place in order to come to an agreement on a final text. I know concerns have been raised regarding the measures being too restrictive, such as the European Commission's proposal that all electronic cigarettes should be controlled by pharmaceutical legislation.
Although I was not part of the negotiations, as I hold no official role in the scrutiny of this Directive, our Liberal representative Frederique Ries MEP, who attended these meetings, has expressed her concerns. I know that during negotiations with representatives of EU governments MEPs insisted that the maximum nicotine content of e-cigs available for general sale should be 20mg/ml, a major increase on the 3mg originally proposed by the Commission and above the average routinely used.
During late night talks on 16th December*2013*I have been informed that the European Commission backed down on demands for a heavy regulation of electronic cigarettes. Plans for the product to be controlled by pharmacies, restricting the sale on the open market, have been stopped. Minimum nicotine content has also been set at 20mg/l, far higher than the 3mg the Commission had originally hoped for. 20mg/l is closely comparable to that of conventional cigarettes.
Refillable units, which are widely used at present, will continue to be available but will be subject to a health and safety review by the European Commission.* New proposals to guide their use could be introduced in*2016.
Although the final agreement will have to be approved by another vote of the European Parliament before it becomes law, I think this is a great achievement for MEPs in the face of stiff government opposition. Classifying e-cigarettes as a medicinal product would have greatly increased their cost, limited the product choices and restricted their retail availability. I know from correspondence from many constituents (as you have mentioned) that e-cigarettes have been instrumental in helping many people stop smoking tobacco cigarettes.*
Thank you again for your correspondence.
Yours sincerely,
Phil Bennion MEP
Office of Phillip Bennion MEP
6b Bolebridge Street
Tamworth
Staffordshire
B79 7PA
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Planet of the Vapes mobile app
