DE: Fierce opposition to Directive

The German government is to initiate legal proceedings against the Tobacco Advertising Directive, which will ban all forms of tobacco advertising and sponsorship by October 2006, and which was formally approved by the Council of Ministers on 22 June. The Austrian government is also understood to be considering similar action. MS have three years in which to pass national legislation introducing the Directive. In the UK, where the government strongly supports the Directive, there are plans to rush the legislation through the Parliament in its next session. A White paper is expected in October.