The Commission is calling for an EU-wide ban on smoking in public places by 2012. Today, not all EU countries have strong anti-smoking regulations, and there are big differences between member states. Tobacco is the leading avoidable cause of death in the EU, and about 170 million Europeans are smokers.

Currently all EU countries have regulations of some kind designed to protect people from second-hand smoke and its harmful effects. But the rules vary widely from country to country. The UK and Ireland have the strictest laws - a complete ban on smoking in indoor workplaces and public places, including public restaurants and bars. Bulgaria is due to follow suit in 2010.

Greece, Italy, Malta, Sweden, Latvia, Finland, Slovenia, Spain, France and Holland have introduced smoke-free legislation that still allows special enclosed smoking rooms. The EU is now proposing that uniform laws be drafted for all 27 countries to regulate smoking more strictly in public areas and workplaces.

Second-hand smoke has been linked to heart disease and lung cancer. Back in 2002, some 19 000 non-smokers are thought to have died in the EU due to second-hand smoke at home or at work. Tobacco is the leading avoidable cause of death in the EU, claiming some 650 000 lives a year. One in three Europeans - about 170 million - uses tobacco.

As part of a new anti-smoking campaign, HELP! 2.0, released on May 31 to celebrate the World Day without Tobacco, the EU is inviting people to upload videos showing how they kicked the habit. Hundreds have responded and their work can be seen on the campaign website.

Background

Over the last 20 years, The Commission has pursued a comprehensive tobacco control policy aimed at reducing tobacco consumption. The objective is to maintain and strengthen tobacco control policy efforts through a range of mechanisms, activities and initiatives including tobacco control legislation and prevention and cessation activities.

The EU is also bringing experience and expertise to the global arena. For example, the EU Tobacco Advertising Directive, whose results were put forward by a Commission report on 2008 world no tobacco day, came into effect in July 2005. It banned cross-border tobacco advertising and tobacco sponsorship of events such as Formula One. After the European Union had completely banned tobacco sponsorship in Formula One, the rest of the world followed suit. In 2008, television viewers witnessed the first tobacco free Formula One season.