The European Parliament today gave approval to an EU directive requiring tobacco manufacturers to put substantial health warnings on cigarette packets.
In the legislative pipeline since January last year, the directive was finalised during conciliation talks in Brussels last February between Euro MEPs and the Council of Ministers.
Under the directive, cigarette packets are to carry the words "Smoking kills" or "Smoking seriously harms you and others around you" across 30 per cent of the front side, with an even bigger additional warning on the back.
Each member state - which now must fold the directive into their own national legislation - will have the option of extending printed warnings with graphic full-color photos of the deadly effects of smoking.
Other parts of the directive, steered through the EU legislature by Dutch Liberal Euro MEP Mr Jules Maaten, include a ban on marketing terms such as "mild," "light" and "low tar."
By 2007, tobacco products exported from the European Union will be subject to the same EU limits on tar (10 milligrams), nicotine (one milligram) and carbon monoxide (10 milligram).
From 2003, tobacco manufacturers will be required to submit to each member state a list of ingredients used in each of their products.
The European Commission is to draw up a list of acceptable ingredients by 2005.
AFP
