WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3844/98 by Marie-Paule KESTELIJN- SIERENS Health warning on tobacco products
Date: 1998-12-07
Institutions: European Parliament, KESTELIJN-SIERENS
Subjects: approximation of laws, cancer, consumer information, dangerous substance, labelling, packaging, public health, tobacco, tobacco industry













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91998E3844

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3844/98 by Marie-Paule KESTELIJN- SIERENS Health warning on tobacco products  


Official Journal C 320 , 06/11/1999 P. 0081 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-3844/98by Marie-Paule Kestelijn-Sierens (ELDR) to the Commission(7 December 1998)Subject: Health warning on tobacco productsIn its resolution of 18 December 1997 (A4-0341/97)(1) the European Parliament called for an evaluation of the effectiveness of health warnings on the packaging of tobacco products.With assistance from the European Programme against Cancer a study has been carried out in three Member States (Belgium, France and Great Britain) to evaluate the effectiveness of such health warnings. The results of the study, published on 27 October, show that the existing system of health warnings is inadequate and that a majority of smokers and non-smokers are in favour of larger and more prominent warnings.1. Is the Commission aware of the results of this study?2. How will it follow up the study?3. Does it intend to submit proposals for more stringent labelling rules for tobacco products? When?4. If so, in what respects does it envisage revising the existing directive on the labelling of tobacco products (92/41/EEC)?Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission(15 January 1999)At the Health Council on 12 November 1998, the Commission presented an oral progress report following the Commission communication on the present and proposed Community role in combating tobacco consumption(2).Since the adoption of Directive 98/43/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 1998 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products(3), the Commission has been concentrating efforts in this field on a review of Council Directive 89/622/EEC of 13 November 1989 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the labelling of tobacco products(4) and Council Directive 90/239/EEC of 17 May 1990 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the maximum tar yield of cigarettes(5). Following the proposals made in the Commission's communication, the opinion of the Parliament, the recommendations of the high level cancer experts committee, the results of studies such as that financed by the Europe against cancer programme on the effectiveness of health warnings, and in light of comments received from the Member States, this review process is now complete. The Commission's work programme for 1999 envisages that a consolidated text updating and revising existing directives on labelling of tobacco products and maximum tar yields for cigarettes, in the light of experience with their current provisions, will be proposed in the first half of the 1999.(1) OJ C 14, 19.1.1998, p. 197.(2) COM(96) 609 final.(3) OJ L 213, 30.7.1998.(4) OJ L 359, 8.12.1989.(5) OJ L 137, 30.5.1990.