Press Release – 22 January 2013
Today tobacconists and newsagent are demonstrating in Brussels to express their opposition to the draft Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). They claim that, if adopted, the text will increase counterfeiting and the parallel market[1]. They state that the Directive provisions on 75% coverage of health for cigarette packs will make the latter “quasi generic”, easier and cheaper to counterfeit.
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ELF, the European Lung Foundation, is inviting smokers who have been diagnosed with a lung condition to take a small survey.
The European Commission released today 19 December 2012 a “Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco and related products” - TPD.
The European COPD Coalition welcomes the adoption of the long-awaited document and (more…)
A timeline: release of the revised Tobacco Products Directive
After almost three months or turmoil in the EU tobacco control and health political community, it seems that the much awaited Tobacco Products Directive will soon be released.
Why is this piece of legislation important for people concerned with COPD? Tobacco is the most important risk factor for COPD and one that the EU can act upon. The TPD regulates the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products in the EU Member states. Not that many actions, policies and laws help prevent the disease or care for COPD patients, especially in these times of economic crisis, when the European Council (all EU Member States together) proposes to cut in two the research budget put forward by the European Commission.
TPD is a major tool of prevention of COPD and other tobacco-related diseases, but its revised version has been delayed for over a year now. It was meant to enhance the 2001 original Directive and to contain stronger provisions, to dissuade people from taking smoking and to encourage smokers to quit….It has come a long way: (more…)
Today, 21 November 2012, the European Parliament (EP) backed during its plenary session Tonio Borg to be the next EU Commissioner for health, in replacement of John Dalli, who resigned in October.
Previously, Tonio Borg held the posts of the Deputy Prime Minister of Malta, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of the Maltese House of Representatives, belonging to the Nationalist Party (conservatives). A lawyer by training, Mr. Borg is a very experienced politician who impressed Members of the EP and ECC representatives with his knowledge, composure and preparedness when he was grilled by the EP during his hearing, on 13 November in Brussels. (more…)
