Today The European health ministers are meeting in Brussels To attempt to adopt a recommendation on smoke- and aerosol-free environments.

Bruxelles- The European Commission’s proposal for a Recommendation on smoke-free environments arrives today at the EU Health Council in Brussels: a new clampdown on the risk of exposure to secondhand smokeeven outdoors in the vicinity of shops or in some cases in restaurants and bars, public transport stops or in areas outside the workplace. This is a non-binding recommendation for Member States, meaning countries won’t have to follow the Commission’s suggestion. But it does give us a sense of how things might go when the Commission introduces future legislation on tobacco, which will require sign-off from countries.

The Recommendation then calls for the indoor ban in workplaces, public places and means of transport to be extended to “emerging substances” such as electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco.

EU executive, with the aim to create a “tobacco-free generation” in Europe by 2040, calls for “effective protection” from exposure to secondhand smoke in areas “particularly where children, young people and vulnerable people are present” such as “public playgrounds, amusement parks, swimming pools, beaches, zoos and other similar outdoor spaces”.

During the latest plenary session on November, the European Parliamentrejected a non-binding resolution aimed at promoting smoke-free and aerosol-free environments. With 378 votes against, 152 in favour and 26 abstentions, the plenary vote highlighted the complexity of finding a balance between the need to protect the population from smoking risks and the imperative to respect personal choices and national competencies.

In this regard, MEP Laurent CASTILLO (EPP) stated “What future for tobacco control policies? The rejection of the non-binding resolution does not mark the end of the debate. The fight against tobacco and new nicotine products is a challenge that requires an approach based on solid scientific evidence and the involvement of all stakeholders, from the European institutions to the Member States”.

He also said that “The ban on smoking in outdoor spaces like restaurants, bars and cafés is an excessive measure, not supported by an impact assessment. We do not have sufficient scientific evidence on the risks of passive smoking in outdoor environments for new emerging products”.

“As for young people, we believe that educational campaigns can play an important role in informing citizens about the risks of smoking and, in particular, in preventing children from starting to use alternative products, such as e-cigarettes. Europe must focus its fight against tobacco on school and health infrastructures”, CASTILLO said.

On the other hand, MEP Alessandra MORETTI (S&D) denounced the lack of sufficient regulations “It is essential that the smoking ban is extended to all open spaces where people congregate, but also to provide for the inclusion of new smoking products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco. These new products are advertised as harmless by the companies that produce them, of course, but they are actually very dangerous for those who use them but also for those nearby”.