The Council publishes a recommendation on smoking

The Official Journal of the European Union on December 5, 2009 reflects the issuance of a recommendation by the EU Council on smoke-free environments in the Member States

Tobacco remains being the largest single cause of premature death and disease in the European Union. It causes more than 650,000 premature deaths in the EU each year – which corresponds to about 1,800 deaths a day. These deaths could be avoided.

According to conservative estimates, 7300 adults including 2800 non-smokers died as a result of environmental tobacco smoke exposure at their workplace in the European Union in 2002. A further 72000 adult deaths, including those of 16400 non-smokers, were linked to ETS exposure at home.

In its Environment and Health Action Plan (2004-2010), the Commission has undertaken to ‘develop work on improving indoor air quality’, in particular by ‘encouraging the restriction of smoking in all workplaces by exploring both legal mechanisms and health promotion initiatives at both European and Member State level’.

Hereby, the Council recommends by the Recommendation issued on OJUE of December 5, 2009, that Member States provide effective protection from exposure to tobacco smoke in indoor workplaces, indoor public places, public transport and, as appropriate, other public places within five years of the FCTC’s entry into force for that Member State, or at the latest within three years following the adoption of this Recommendation.

They should also develop and/or strengthen strategies and measures to reduce exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke of children and adolescents, and communicate to the Commission, if possible within six months after the adoption of the Recommendation, national focal points for tobacco control with a view to exchanging information and best practices as well as policy coordination with other Member States.

The Recommendation also quotes the guidelines on protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, as adopted by the Second Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

With this recommendation, the EU reiterates its commitment to tobacco control. The Commission launched anti-smoking campaign HELP! 2.0 in May, on the occasion of the celebration of World Day Against Snuff, the EU invites anyone who wants to hang videos that tell how you stopped smoking. Hundreds of people have responded and their creations can be seen on the website of the campaign.