30 Amendments of Pablo ZALBA BIDEGAIN related to 2012/0366(COD)
Amendment 13 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The current use of different reporting formats makes it difficult for manufacturers and importers to fulfil their reporting obligations and burdensome for the Member States and the Commission to compare, analyse and draw conclusions from the information received. In this light there should be a common mandatory format for the reporting of ingredients and emissions. The greatest possible transparency of product information should be ensured for the general public, while ensuring that appropriate account is taken of the commercial and intellectual property rights of the manufacturers of tobacco products and fulfils the Union’s international obligations contained in the WTO treaties.
Amendment 14 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) The likelihood of diverging regulation is further increased by concerns over tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco products, having a characterisingnon-tobacco dominant flavour other than tobacco, which may facilitate uptake ofr tobacco consumption or affect consumption patterns. For example, in many countries, sales of mentholated products gradually increased even as smoking prevalence overall declined. A number of studies indicated that mentholated tobacco products can facilitate inhalation as well as smoking uptake among young people. Measures introducing unjustified differences of treatment between flavoured cigarettes (e.g. menthol and clove cigarettes) should be avoidedraditional flavours such as menthol, which may facilitate uptake of tobacco consumption or affect consumption patterns..
Amendment 25 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) In order to ensure the integrity and the visibility of health warnings and maximise their efficacy, provisions should be made regarding the dimension of the warnings as well as regarding certain aspects of the appearance of the tobacco package, including the opening mechanism. The package and the products may mislead consumers, in particular young people, suggesting that products are less harmful. For instance, this is the case with certain texts or features, such as ‘low-tar’, ‘light’, ‘ultra-light’, ‘mild’, ‘natural’, or ‘organic’, ‘without additives’, ‘without flavours’, ‘slim’, names, pictures, and figurative or other signs. Likewise, the size and appearance of individual ciga. In case the package cretates cana mislead consumers by creating theing impression that they cigarettes are less harmful. A recent study has also shown that smokers of slim cigarettes were more likely to believe that their own brand might be less harmful. This should be addressed, health warnings must be adapted accordingly.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 40
Recital 40
(40) A Member State that deems it necessary to maintain more stringent national provisions for aspects falling inside the scope of this Directive should be allowed to do so, for all products alike, on grounds of overriding needs relating to the protection of public health. A Member State should also be allowed to introduce more stringent provisions, applying to all products alike, on grounds relating to the specific situation of this Member State and provided the provisions are justified by the need to protect public health. More stringent national provisions should be necessary and proportionate, not constitute a means of arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between Member States and consistent with WTO international obligations. Stricter national provisions require prior notification to, and approval from, the Commission taking into account the high level of health protection achieved through this Directive.
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 41
Recital 41
(41) Member States should remain free to maintain or introduce national legislations applying to all products alike for aspects falling outside the scope of this Directive, provided they are compatible with the Treaty and do not jeopardise the full application of this Directive. Accordingly, Member States could, for instance, maintain or introduce provisions providing standardisation of packaging of tobacco products provided that those provisions are compatible with the Treaty, with WTO obligations and do not affectwith the WTO provisions, and do not jeopardise the full application of this Directive. A prior notification is required for technical regulations pursuant to Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and on rules on Information Society services44.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 43 a (new)
Recital 43 a (new)
(43a) This Directive should not lead to deterioration in the living conditions of people whose livelihoods depend on tobacco growing in Europe and who often live in disadvantaged areas. Given that the aim of the Directive is solely to discourage consumption of tobacco products, any decisions concerning ingredients and additives should take due account of the possible socioeconomic repercussions for groups whose livelihoods depend on tobacco growing. The European tobacco growing sector should be protected because it accounts for only a very small proportion of consumption in the EU and, at the same time, contributes to the economic stability of certain European regions where the range of alternative crops is limited. A decrease in or an end to tobacco growing in the EU would have no impact on consumption levels, but would lead to an increase in imports from third countries and a reduction in quality standards.
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
(4) ‘characterisingnon-tobacco dominant flavour’ means an overt distinguishable aroma or taste other than tobacco or menthol, resulting from an additive or combination of additives, including but not limited to fruit, spice, herb, alcohol, candy, menthol or vanilla observable before or evident upon intended use of the tobacco product;
Amendment 68 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 13
(13) ‘flavouring’ means an additive that imparts aroma and/or taste; except for menthol
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Article 3 – paragraph 2
Amendment 83 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 3
Article 3 – paragraph 3
3. Member States shall notify the Commission of the maximum yields that they set for other emissions of cigarettes and for emissions of tobacco products other than cigarettes. Taking into account internationally agreed standards, where available, and based on scientific evidence and on the yields notified by Member States, the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 22 to adopt and adapt maximum yields for other emissions of cigarettes and for emissions of tobacco products other than cigarettes that increase in an appreciable manner the toxic or addictive effect of tobacco products beyond the threshold of toxicity and addictiveness stemming from the yields of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide fixed in paragraph 1.
Amendment 84 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Article 4 – paragraph 3
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 4
Article 4 – paragraph 4
4. Member States shall notify the Commission of the methods of measurement that they use for other emissions of cigarettes and for emissions of tobacco products other than cigarettes. Based on these methods, and taking into account scientific and technical developments as well as internationally agreed standards the Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 22 to adopt and adapt methods of measurement.
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Member States shall prohibit the placing on the market of tobacco products with a characterising flavourdditives that create or release a flavour which is not predominantly that of tobacco or menthol, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2.
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 3
Article 6 – paragraph 3
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 9
Article 6 – paragraph 9
Amendment 107 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 4
Article 8 – paragraph 4
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) cover 750 % of the external area of both the front and back surface of the unit packet and any outside packaging;
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point g – point i
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point g – point i
(i) height: not less than 646 mm;
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 9 – paragraph 3
Article 9 – paragraph 3
Amendment 129 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 4 – point a
Article 10 – paragraph 4 – point a
(a) printed in black Helvetica bold type on a white background. The general warning could be shown using self-adhesive paper provided that they cannot be removed. In order to accommodate language requirements, Member States may determine the point size of the font, provided that the font size specified in their legislation is such as to occupy the greatest possible proportion of the area set aside for the text required;
Amendment 135 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 5
Article 10 – paragraph 5
Amendment 140 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 3
Article 11 – paragraph 3
Amendment 144 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – point c
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Amendment 154 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 13
Article 13
Amendment 186 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 14 – paragraph 9
Article 14 – paragraph 9
Amendment 218 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 2
Article 18 – paragraph 2
Amendment 220 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 5
Article 18 – paragraph 5
Amendment 223 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 22
Article 22
Amendment 230 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 24 – paragraph 2
Article 24 – paragraph 2
2. However, a Member State may maintain more stringent national provisions, applicable to all products alike, in areas covered by the Directive, on grounds of overriding needs relating to the protection of public health. A Member State may also introduce more stringent provisions, on grounds relating to the specific situation of this Member State and provided the provisions are justified by the need to protect public health. Such national provisions shall be notified to the Commission together with the grounds for maintaining or introducing them. The Commission shall, within six months from the date of receiving the notification, approve or reject the provisions after having verified, taking into account the high level of health protection achieved through this Directive, whether or not they are justified, necessary and proportionate to their aim, compliant with the Treaty and the EU’s international obligations, including WTO obligations, and whether or not they are a means of arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between the Member States. In the absence of a decision by the Commission within this period the national provisions shall be deemed to be approved.