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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION (2024/2911(RSP))

On the Council’s recommendation on smoke- and aerosol-free environments

B-10-2024-0176

on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group · Rapporteur: Ignazio Roberto Marino

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This resolution responds to the Commission's proposal for a Council recommendation on smoke- and aerosol-free environments. It calls on Member States to extend smoking bans to outdoor areas, private vehicles with minors, and to ban e-cigarettes indoors and nicotine pouches in educational settings. It also urges the Commission to revise tobacco legislation and report on implementation after four years.

Key points

  1. Regrets the nine-month delay in the Commission's proposal.
  2. Notes that new and emerging nicotine and tobacco products pose a public health threat, with e-cigarette use among 13- to 15-year-olds exceeding adult use in many countries.
  3. Underlines that there are no proven safe levels of exposure to smoke and aerosols from tobacco and new products.
  4. Calls on Member States to extend smoking bans to key outdoor areas including restaurants, cafés, bars, workplaces, healthcare and educational premises, transport stops and stations, airports, and recreational areas.
  5. Calls for bans to explicitly include outdoor spaces where distancing cannot be ensured, such as parks, beaches, and entrances to public buildings.
  6. Calls on Member States to implement or expand bans on smoking in private vehicles when minors are present.
  7. Urges all Member States to ban e-cigarettes in all indoor spaces to protect non-users.
  8. Calls for bans to ensure the highest protection for children, young people, pregnant women, and other vulnerable groups.
  9. Calls for prohibiting nicotine pouches in educational institutions.
  10. Urges strict compliance with Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC to prevent industry interference, and calls for transparency and conflict-of-interest measures.
  11. Welcomes EU4Health funding of EUR 16 million and Horizon Europe funding of over EUR 80 million for tobacco control, but expresses concern about long-term health investment.
  12. Calls on the Commission to propose revisions to the Tobacco Advertising, Taxation, and Products Directives, and to report on implementation after four years.

Who is affected

  • Member States: must extend smoking bans to outdoor areas, private cars with minors, and ban e-cigarettes indoors and nicotine pouches in schools.
  • Children and young people: protected by bans in areas they frequent and in cars.
  • Tobacco and nicotine industries: subject to strict compliance with WHO FCTC Article 5.3 to prevent policy interference.
  • Commission: tasked with revising tobacco legislation and reporting on implementation.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 16 million direct grant from EU4Health programme to support Member States.
  • More than EUR 80 million from Horizon Europe for tobacco control research.
  • Four years after adoption for the Commission to report on implementation.

Legal basis: Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union