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EU Council recommends smoke-free outdoor environments

by AI | 03.Dec 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The Council of EU Member States has adopted a recommendation to the EU countries to extend smoking bans outdoors. Although the recommendation is not binding on the states, it caused a stir in Austria. The minister of the country spoke of “fake news” that was spread.

Archive image - Austria's Health Minister Johannes Rauch spoke out for a smoking ban on children's playgrounds in Austria. Photo: Martin Gerten/dpa

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Vienna/EU-wide/Brussels – The health ministers of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) adopted recommendations for smoke-free environments on Tuesday in Brussels. Although these EU recommendations are not binding for EU states, they caused a stir in Austria in advance. The country’s health minister, Johannes Rauch (Greens), had therefore talked about “fake news” that had been spread ahead of today’s ministerial meeting.

A qualified majority (at least 15 countries representing 65 percent of the EU population) was needed to adopt the recommendation in the Council of EU Member States, but an official voting result was not published. Germany and Greece stated during a statement in the Council that they would abstain. Austria did not take the floor in the Council, but Rauch defended the recommendations to the press in advance.

In mid-September, the European Commission proposed recommending that EU countries ban smoking, especially in places where children are present – such as playgrounds, swimming pools, schools, but also in outdoor areas of catering establishments. In addition to extending smoke-free zones to outdoor areas, extension to alternative tobacco products (e.g. electronic cigarettes) was recommended. This responds to findings that these products can also cause health damage to passive users.

Rauch: Austria has already implemented many measures

Whether and how these measures are implemented is up to the individual countries. However, preliminary consultations and debates at the European level would help in forming opinions, Rauch explained to press representatives. Austria has already implemented many of the planned measures. The minister also clearly supported a smoking ban on children’s playgrounds in Austria. “This is actually finalized, it is in the ministry, it fails due to the resistance of the ÖVP (conservative coalition partner of the Greens in Vienna),” said the Green politician.

The recommendations adopted today are part of the European Cancer Plan, with the goal of achieving a “tobacco-free generation” by 2040, with less than five percent of people still resorting to tobacco products. In five years, the European Commission should take stock of what happened with the recommendations, according to a Council release. (12/03/2024)

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