EU Commissioner John Dalli proposes banning all smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes

[Bill Godshall]

EU Health Commissioner John Dalli proposes banning all smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes
http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/article109113669/EU-will-Schreckenskatalog-fuer-Tabakkonzerne.html (German)
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.welt.de%2Fwirtschaft%2Farticle109113669%2FEU-will-Schreckenskatalog-fuer-Tabakkonzerne.html (Google Translate English)

This Gernan article was the source of David Atherton's article below (that was posted on another thread).
David Atherton: The European Union and Big Pharma
http://www.thecommentator.com/article/1660/the_european_union_and_big_pharma_a_tale_of_corporate_lobbyingof%20corporate%20lobbying



It appears that this German article and the Swedish news article I posted entitled "EU Commission threatens to ban Swedish snus based on falsified ENSP scientific report" may be referrencing the same (or similar) leaked EU document(s).

Unfortunately, since I cannot read German or Swedish (as I have a difficult time just with English) and I don't understand the EU legislative/regulatory processes, its difficult to comprehend what is going on with the EU Commissioners.

 

[Bill Godshall]

My understanding of the EU situation is that EU Health Commissioner John Dalli (who is from Malta) has drafted and forwarded his proposal (for the EU to ban the sale of e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products including Snus) to the other 20-25 EU Commissioners (each EU country has one EU Commissioner who serves as the Commissioner of something, like energy, fish and wildlife, environment, public welfare, etc.) for their consideration.

This process just began and takes about three weeks, during which Dalli will lobby the other EU Commissioners to support his proposal. Don't know if a majority or supermajority vote is required, or if a general consensus of Commissioners is needed, for the EU Commissioners to approve Dalli's proposal. Based upon what I've heard, EU Commissioners typically support proposals made by other EU Commissioners (i.e. I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine) unless opposition to the proposal (back in their own country) is very strong.

If/when Dalli's proposal is approved by the EU Commissioners, it would then go to the EU MPs for their consideration (when the lobbying of MPs will really heat up).

While many/most citizens in EU countries know who their MP is in the EU, most citizens don't know who is their EU Commissioner.

It would be helpful if someone obtained contact info for all EU Commissioners (especially e-mail addresses) so vapers and harm reduction advocates can urge them to oppose Dalli's proposal.

And if/when the EU Commissioners approve Dalli's proposal, it would be helpful if someone obtained contact info for EU MPs so vapers and harm reduction advocates can contact them to urge them to oppose Dalli's proposal.

And of course, it would be helpful if someone obtained and exposed a copy of Dalli's proposal (that was sent to all other EU Commissioners during the past few days).

 

[rolygate]

At this time it seems that this is a draft working document within the health committee, and possibly does not refer to ecigs, and may not be practical for them to include in a final version. It is probably an excellent guide to their thinking but may not indicate the content of the final doc.

We hope.

If indeed the final Tobacco Directive re-write does include a blanket ecig ban as well as continuation of the Snus ban, we'll have confirmation that the EU Health commission is the world's most corrupt government committee. Since their decisions will negatively impact the ~700,000 EU deaths from smoking each year, a figure higher than any other region's (apart perhaps from China's, which is unknown), such a title would be entirely justified.

The next step would be to examine which authority has jurisdiction for a police fraud forensic accountantcy search and examination of offshore bank accounts held by committee members, since they aren't likely to be involved in the usefully paper-trail free revolving door staff trick that national health agency staffers benefit from - there would be a cash trail somewhere.

 

[DC2]

You know, I'd post some sort of comment here in this thread...
But it seems to be a case of what is there to say?

The words "hell" and "handbasket" seem to apply.
That's really all I got.

 

[rothenbj]

He's BP's Dalli Lamba.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Bulgarian article on EU tobacco policy proposal
Bulgarian AgriMin Confirms No Turkish Tobacco EC Ban: Bulgarian AgriMin Confirms No EC Ban on Turkish Tobacco - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency

One week ago, Frederic Vincent, a spokesperson of Dalli refuted them as well, but confirmed that changes in the EU Directive for Tobacco Products are going to be implemented by the end of 2012.

 

[Stubby]

BBC News - EU health commissioner John Dalli quits over fraud inquiry

John Dalli has quit

According to the commission, the tobacco producer Swedish Match complained in May that a Maltese entrepreneur had used his contacts with Mr Dalli to try to gain financial advantages from the company.

This entrepreneur had allegedly offered in return to influence a possible future legislative proposal on tobacco products, in particular on the EU export ban on snus, a smokeless tobacco taken orally.

 

[Roszam]

John Dalli resigns from the European Commission - timesofmalta.com
Http://www.timesofmalta.com/article...talking-to-my-lawyers-to-clear-my-name.441367

 

[firechick]

Looks like this one is contested, Stubby. Check Bill's thread on the news release.