Byrne considers EU-wide tobacco ban

Friday, 19 September 2003 5:47 AM

European Union commissioner for health and consumer affairs, David Byrne, is backing plans to ban smoking in bars, cafes and restaurants across the EU.

His bid comes after Ireland and the Netherlands decided to prohibit smoking in pubs and restaurants from next year.

Mr Byrne may use worker protection legislation to get his way.

He has asked Anna Diamantopoulou, employment and social affairs commissioner, to assess his case.

He believes there is clear evidence to demonstrate the correlation between passive smoking, working environments and disease such as heart disease and cancer.

"The motivation, for example, in Ireland, for banning smoking in pubs and restaurants is very largely inspired by, not just the need to protect the public, those who resort to pubs and restaurants as customers, but also to protect those who are working in that environment," Mr Byrne told epolitix.com.

His plan is likely to meet with some resistance from German officials. They have asked the European Court of Justice to throw out an EU-wide ban on tobacco advertising, on the grounds that such a move infringed on the right to free speech.

Except for Germany, Mr Byrne was confident of winning over proposals the other 14 member states.

"The vast majority of MEPs in the European Parliament are in agreement with my policies. So I have to say, and I say it with respect to the largest member-state in the EU, I'm afraid they're out of step with everyone else," he said.

In the US, more than 100 cities, including New York, have chosen to ban smoking in public places.

The Commission says more than 500,000 Europeans die each year of tobacco-related illnesses.

Amanda Sandford, of Ash, the anti-smoking group, said: "We feel employees should be protected from smoke in the workplace.

"They have a duty to be there, but for the wider public it's a matter of choice."

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