EU Commission Receives Feedback on Tobacco Control Legislation

The European Commission has received feedback from almost 25,000 organizations, experts and citizens on its tobacco control legislative framework. The initial evidence gathering feedback period ended on June 17.

The committee will use this feedback to evaluate the extent to which the legislative framework has achieved its goals, and whether it can support the "Beating Cancer Plan" announced by Europe to achieve a "smoke-free generation" by 2040.

Participants including the Independent European Vape Alliance (IEVA) and other organizations identified several opportunities for improvement.

According to IEVA, the electronic cigarette market in Europe is one of the most regulated and safe markets in the world. The organization supports the Tobacco Products Directive, which allows for the provision of safe products to EU consumers. These regulations prevent irresponsible business actions, as seen in the unregulated electronic cigarette market in the United States, which IEVA strongly condemns.

We aim to use this document to highlight areas worthy of further consideration in the evaluation process of the Tobacco Products Directive. We believe that these areas have not yet been adequately addressed within this process. We will focus on three core areas which we feel require further examination in any legislative review: the impact on smokers, the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises and employment, and the impact on illicit trade.

All of Ieva's contributions can be viewed here.

The European Commission is set to hold a public consultation in the fourth quarter of 2022, with plans to pass it in the second quarter of 2023.

Source: tobaccoreporter