So, I contacted my local MEP about the EUs back door attack on e-cigs and today finally got a response.
It's rather standard politic patter to me except my interpretation of some sentences lead me to believe that 1) MEPs seem to be shrugging off their ability to change any decisions taken on e-cigs ( The European Commission - and not Linda McAvan or any MEP) and 2) that the "light touch medicinal approach" is all but unanimous within the EU ( all EU national governments including Lithuania - is that all e-cigarettes should be regulated in the same way as nicotine gums and patches - i.e. through a light touch medicines regime).
Below is the full response.
Dear Anthony,
Thank you for your email on e-cigarettes.
As you mention, negotiations between national ministers and MEPs to revise the tobacco Directive are ongoing.
Linda McAvan and the other MEPs who are part of the negotiations are defending the official position of the Parliament...
The Parliament's position is the one adopted in the October vote, when a majority of MEPs supported an amendment to regulate e-cigarettes as a consumer product.. You can read the full amendment here (number 170), but in short, it would allow companies to market e-cigarettes with some controls on strength and under similar restrictions on advertising and marketing as tobacco products.
However, it is important to bear in mind that all EU laws need the agreement not just of MEPs but of Ministers from the 28 countries who are members of the EU. The UK Government position and the official position of all EU national governments including Lithuania - is that all e-cigarettes should be regulated in the same way as nicotine gums and patches - i.e. through a light touch medicines regime...
The European Commission - and not Linda McAvan or any MEP - is therefore working on suggestions to resolve the differences between MEPs and Ministers because their job is to try to bridge the gap in what are proving to be difficult negotiations....
I hope this clarifies the current situation Anthony.
Yours sincerely,
Derek.
Derek Vaughan MEP
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
It's rather standard politic patter to me except my interpretation of some sentences lead me to believe that 1) MEPs seem to be shrugging off their ability to change any decisions taken on e-cigs ( The European Commission - and not Linda McAvan or any MEP) and 2) that the "light touch medicinal approach" is all but unanimous within the EU ( all EU national governments including Lithuania - is that all e-cigarettes should be regulated in the same way as nicotine gums and patches - i.e. through a light touch medicines regime).
Below is the full response.
Dear Anthony,
Thank you for your email on e-cigarettes.
As you mention, negotiations between national ministers and MEPs to revise the tobacco Directive are ongoing.
Linda McAvan and the other MEPs who are part of the negotiations are defending the official position of the Parliament...
The Parliament's position is the one adopted in the October vote, when a majority of MEPs supported an amendment to regulate e-cigarettes as a consumer product.. You can read the full amendment here (number 170), but in short, it would allow companies to market e-cigarettes with some controls on strength and under similar restrictions on advertising and marketing as tobacco products.
However, it is important to bear in mind that all EU laws need the agreement not just of MEPs but of Ministers from the 28 countries who are members of the EU. The UK Government position and the official position of all EU national governments including Lithuania - is that all e-cigarettes should be regulated in the same way as nicotine gums and patches - i.e. through a light touch medicines regime...
The European Commission - and not Linda McAvan or any MEP - is therefore working on suggestions to resolve the differences between MEPs and Ministers because their job is to try to bridge the gap in what are proving to be difficult negotiations....
I hope this clarifies the current situation Anthony.
Yours sincerely,
Derek.
Derek Vaughan MEP
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
