EU: Formal Adoption Of Tobacco Ban

On 12 February the EU Research Council formally approved, without debate, its Common Position, reached at the Health Council on 4 December 1997, on the prohibition of advertising or sponsoring of tobacco products throughout the European Union. This decision still needs the endorsement of the European Parliament, likely to be in March. The Parliament’s approval is seen as certain. The deadline for implementing the ban in its entirety is October 2006 – a maximum transition period of eight years. The Directive is a minimum one and enables MS to impose stricter national measures if they wish. It excludes some forms of indirect advertising such as advertising at tobacco sales outlets.