Developing EU Policy for Smokefree Environments

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Developing EU Policy for Smokefree Environments

• The Best Practice View
• Florence Berteletti Kemp on behalf of the Smoke
  Free Partnership
• Edinburgh International - Conference Centre,
  Scotland10 11 September 2007

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This Presentation

• The Smoke Free Partnership
• Launch of Lifting the smokescreen
• The Citizens view about the Green Paper
• The context
• Why arent we in favor of binding EU legislation?
• Strong Council Recommendations
• Conclusion

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The Smoke Free Partnership

• The SFP is a strategic, independent and flexible
  partnership between the European Respiratory
  Society (ERS), Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the
  Institut National du Cancer.
• It aims to promote tobacco control advocacy and
  policy research at EU and national levels in
  collaboration with other EU health organisations
  and EU tobacco control networks. 

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SFP in action
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Some key achievements

• Launch of Lifting the smokescreen 10 reasons for
  going smokefree at the European Parliament.
• Passive smoking kills 79,000 EU citizens a year.
• Best Smoke Free Research Policy Award 2006

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Citizens view about the Green Paper

• We congratulate DG Sanco for the clarity and
  quality of the Green Paper
• The Tobacco Control Community is united We all
  want a total ban on smoking in all enclosed
  public places, without exception

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The context of the Green Paper

• FCTC Article 8 guidelines unanimously adopted at
  the 2nd conference of the Parties in Bangkok
• 280 responses to the EU consultation
• Council's exchange of views on the 31st May most
  MS in favour of Council Recommendations
• European Parliament vote on Florenzs Report in
  ENVI Committee on the 12th September

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So, why arent we in favor of binding
legislation at EU level?

• Our goal is a gold standard (FCTC art.8) of a
  total ban across the EU. However, this goal would
  be watered down during the compromises required
  for EU legislative processes.
• Getting an EU law passed and into force will take
  a long time (2012 or 2013).
• Effective smoke-free laws can only be passed and
  implemented when the national context is
  favourable (see Limassol recommendations).

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We call for Strong Council Recommendations

• Stress the importance and relevance of Article 8
  guidelines of the FCTC
• Urge Member States to adopt comprehensive
  legislation
• Refer to the need for mass media education
  campaigns
• Recommend the collection of data on smoking
  prevalence and attitudes towards smokefree
  provisions.
• Recommend a revision of existing directives based
  on the Framework Directive on workplace safety
  and health 89/391/EEC

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In Conclusion

• Following the introduction of the 1989 Council
  Recommendations, the majority of Member States
  introduced smokefree legislation
• A further stronger Council Recommendation could
  enjoy similar success using FCTC Article 8
  guidelines.

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The Smoke Free Partnership keeps making key
progress at EU levelwww.smokefreepartnership.eu

• Thank you for your attention