The principle of subsidiarity means that those activities better achieved at national level should remain there. The availability of accurate data on consumption, prices, age of smokers, and so on is vital if effective strategies are to be developed. At present, no such data collection or monitoring system exists at the Union level, although, of course, individual Member States do have national or regional data of varying quality available to them. The Commission also considered a gap in research on smoking which can be a severe handicap when devising policy. A recent example of this was the scarcity of specific research on links between tobacco advertising in Formula 1 motor racing and teenage consumption.
Research also needs to be done on how to reinforce existing policy and on underpinning new policy.
Another major axe of the Commission's white paper concerned updating and completing European Union legislation. The agreement in July 1998 of the directive on tobacco advertising was a landmark decision represented major progress in this respect. However, in addition, our existing Community legislation on tar levels in cigarettes, and on labelling of tobacco products is in need of revision and updating. At the Council of Health ministers which took place on 12 December 1998, a report was given by the Commission on progress to date in preparing this new legislation. I will shortly put forward these proposals for approval by my Commission colleagues.