19th February, 2013
Dear Racheal B, (CAN I JUST POINT OUT THAT HE SPELLED MY NAME WRONG?!)
Thank you for writing to me about the important issue of the EU tobacco Products Directive, and how it will affect electronic cigarettes.
Because e-cigarettes are a relatively new product they are regulated differently in each EU country. Some countries allow e-cigarettes to be sold without any regulation at all. Others have banned their sale completely. As the UK is part of the EU's internal market it is important that we harmonise the way we deal with this product, otherwise consumers could be buying unregulated products which do not conform to basic safety standards, either within their own country, or by easily purchasing it over the internet from a neighbouring country.
My colleagues in the European Parliament have taken a cautious approach to e-cigarettes. If they are effective in helping people to stop smoking, then it is appropriate that they are regulated in the same way as other smoking cessation tools, such as nicotine patches.
The Commission proposal is not final and there will be many months of negotiations by the European Parliament, as well as health ministers in the UK and other EU countries, before the legislation is agreed. During this time Labour MEPs will be looking carefully at all of the measures and trying to find the best way to ensure that we effectively reduce smoking rates in the UK and across Europe.
Please find attached a pro-forma 'stay in touch'. If you would like to be kept in touch with my work in the European Parliament, please complete and return to my office.
Yours sincerely,
(I took his name out, just in case!)
Dear Racheal B, (CAN I JUST POINT OUT THAT HE SPELLED MY NAME WRONG?!)
Thank you for writing to me about the important issue of the EU tobacco Products Directive, and how it will affect electronic cigarettes.
Because e-cigarettes are a relatively new product they are regulated differently in each EU country. Some countries allow e-cigarettes to be sold without any regulation at all. Others have banned their sale completely. As the UK is part of the EU's internal market it is important that we harmonise the way we deal with this product, otherwise consumers could be buying unregulated products which do not conform to basic safety standards, either within their own country, or by easily purchasing it over the internet from a neighbouring country.
My colleagues in the European Parliament have taken a cautious approach to e-cigarettes. If they are effective in helping people to stop smoking, then it is appropriate that they are regulated in the same way as other smoking cessation tools, such as nicotine patches.
The Commission proposal is not final and there will be many months of negotiations by the European Parliament, as well as health ministers in the UK and other EU countries, before the legislation is agreed. During this time Labour MEPs will be looking carefully at all of the measures and trying to find the best way to ensure that we effectively reduce smoking rates in the UK and across Europe.
Please find attached a pro-forma 'stay in touch'. If you would like to be kept in touch with my work in the European Parliament, please complete and return to my office.
Yours sincerely,
(I took his name out, just in case!)
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