EU commissioner resigns after snus scandal

[SimplySnus]

Associated Press said Wednesday the European Union's health commissioner resigned Tuesday over corruption allegations involving tobacco laws but has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to clear his name.
John Dalli reportedly was aware of an attempt at corruption surrounding new legislation on the Swedish tobacco product known as snus.
Swedish Match has filed a complaint about receiving a proposal to influence the outcome of the ongoing review by the European Commission of the tobacco Products Directive, in exchange for financial compensation, the company said.
`'Swedish Match takes this incident very seriously," the company said in a statement. `'The incident was promptly reported to the European Commission, and the report from the Anti-Fraud Office has confirmed that the notification was warranted."
Snus is a type of smokeless tobacco sold in loose form or in paper sachets that users stuff under their upper lip.
Snus sales are banned in the EU, except in Sweden.

EU commissioner resigns after snus scandal

 

[SimplySnus]

Thoughts on this?

 

[hittman]

The story seems a little vague but if I understand it correctly then John Dalli contacted Swedish match looking for a bribe so that he would influence a legislation issue on tobacco. If that is correct then honestly I'm not surprised. I think there is a lot of that going on in many countries.

 

[Skrymr]

That could be very good news for snus availability in the EU. The trickle down from that could help us in the U.S.

 

[SimplySnus]

Exactly my thoughts Skrymr,

Hopefully a new commissioner will step into place, that is more interested in the facts than in bribes.

 

[oplholik]

Exactly my thoughts Skrymr,

Hopefully a new commissioner will step into place, that is more interested in the facts than in bribes.

I don't know how it is there, but if we were talking about here in the US, I'd say, Good Luck with That.

 

[SimplySnus]

[/B]

I don't know how it is there, but if we were talking about here in the US, I'd say, Good Luck with That.

Although I agree with this, I still must have hope.

My hats off to Swedish Match for how they have handled this so far.

 

[hittman]

I would agree. They did handle it well. It would have been easy for them to just pay him off. I too hope that the new person does better. Perhaps the last guy getting caught will scare the next person straight.

 

[SimplySnus]

I read today that the total bribes were over 60 million euros.

There are several new articles on the same site as the first came from if anyone is interested.

 

[SimplySnus]

Former EU Health and Consumers Commissioner John Dalli has admitted meeting a lawyer earlier this year to discuss the bloc's tobacco legislation, but insists he had no reason to believe they represented the industry.

A report by the EU anti-fraud office OLAF is said to reveal that the lawyer was working for 'snus' tobacco producer Swedish Match, whose allegation of a bribe offer from a Maltese entrepreneur led to Dalli's resignation last week.

http://www.agra-net.com/portal2/home.jsp?template=newsarticle&artid=20017999272&pubid=ag002