Ministers agree total ban on tobacco advertising

EU Health Ministers last night reached agreement on a complete ban on tobacco advertising after 12 hours of tense talks during which the final outcome was far from assured.

Compromise proposals give states, most specifically the British, up to eight years to phase out sponsorship of major events "organised on a worldwide basis", despite vehement German opposition. There is also a four year derogation for newspapers.

The Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, welcomed the directive as a major step in public health and said he had been determined that the legislation should at least match high Irish standards. "Tobacco kills 500,000 a year in the EU," he said.

Asked if he was disappointed by the watering down of the directive by means of long transition periods Mr Cowen said that "quite clearly strong vested interests were involved", but it was "better to have this directive than none". Ireland, one of those strongly supportive of the Commission's original package, already bans TV, radio, cinema, and billboard advertising of tobacco, and restricts sponsorship.

The ban proposal, deadlocked on the ministers' table for nine years, has been championed by the Irish Commisioner for Social Affairs, Mr Padraig Flynn, who said he was delighted at the decision.

"There is now a clear date established for the end of all tobacco advertising and sponsorship - October 2006," he said.

The directive will ban the direct or indirect advertising of tobacco except at the point of sale or in trade papers, and provides for such transition periods for the elimination of tobacco sponsorship of events.

Member states are to be given three years to implement the legislation domestically, then two years to eliminate sponsorship of most events, and a further three years for events organised on a worldwide basis - a potential total of eight years.

Britain's Labour government had made its support for the ban conditional on a lengthy transitional period for Formula One motor racing. It argued that otherwise the sport would relocate to Asia with the loss of thousands of jobs in the EU.

The Health Minister, Ms Tessa Jowell, denied the directive had been diluted to the point of making it meaningless. "What we have negotiated today means all tobacco advertising will end by October 1st, 2006, but also recognises the need for flexibiity and phasing-in. It is very good deal for public health and for sport." - (Additional reporting AFP)