EU: EP approves ad ban

The European Parliament’s vote in favour of the Directive banning all tobacco advertising and sponsorship has caused protests from across many sectors of the EU’s media industry. Print media trade bodies have denounced the ban as being anti-democratic and illegal. There was a heated and lengthy debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg before the vote was taken. The key vote was 314 in favour of the Common Position, 211 against and 25 abstentions. Thus almost 40 per cent of those MEPs who voted wanted a total rejection of the Directive, but the Parliament nevertheless approved the Common Position without amendments.