1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Many years ago in Europe, politicians used to smoke in the workplace. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,000 But that time is gone and today the Commission is smoke-free. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:14,000 The European Union is now in the vanguard in the fight against tobacco. 4 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:19,000 Smoking kills over 650,000 people a year, 25% of them from cancer. 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:23,000 That represents 15% of deaths in Europe. 6 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:28,000 The European Commission has made enormous steps forward in tobacco control in the last 20 years. 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,000 The high points, I would say, are the ban on tobacco advertising 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:39,000 and the move now towards smoke-free public places is a tremendous potential step forward. 9 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:44,000 So that I would see as a priority to advocate and move forward on that. 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:50,000 There are multiple directives aimed at regulating and harmonizing tobacco use in the European Union. 11 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,000 Signs are displayed in public places 12 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:58,000 and warnings on cigarette packs draw smokers' attention to the health hazards. 13 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:03,000 The quantity of dangerous substances like tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide has been limited. 14 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:12,000 For example, these cigarettes, produced in Indonesia with a tar content of over 10 mg, can't be sold in Europe. 15 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:20,000 And since 1989, the Commission has been instrumental in banning tobacco advertising and sponsorship EU-wide. 16 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:25,000 2007 will see another step forward towards a Europe free from tobacco smoke 17 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:29,000 with the Green Paper published by the European Commission. 18 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,000 Well, with this Green Paper, we have launched a vast public consultation 19 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:38,000 to ask Member States, the European Parliament and concerned groups 20 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:43,000 how we can best achieve this objective, what role Europe should play. 21 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:49,000 And the options range from continuing with the current approach of Member States pushing ahead 22 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:54,000 or opting for a recommendation or other forms of coordination or even legislation. 23 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:59,000 There are different options and this Green Paper sets out the arguments 24 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:04,000 and we will draw the conclusions from this Green Paper and decide on the next steps. 25 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:08,000 Also, as part of its fight against smoking, the European Commission has proposed 26 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,000 that Member States use color photographs on cigarette packs. 27 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,000 Belgium is the first country to have adopted the practice. 28 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:20,000 The iconography, the image, works well in this situation. 29 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,000 I'm not going to scare you, but you have to open your eyes to reality. 30 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,000 A text doesn't always speak for itself. 31 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:33,000 But here, with humour, or sometimes the fear that you can let go, it works. 32 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:40,000 Illness, death, decreased sexual performance, infertility, dangers during pregnancy and addiction. 33 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,000 All these can be used to deter smokers. 34 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,000 The message is also positive. 35 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,000 The habit can be broken with the aid of health practitioners. 36 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:56,000 Beyond that, I think we should be thinking very seriously about branding in the tobacco market 37 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:03,000 and particularly the packs, which still carry with them a lot of the evocative imagery of the major tobacco brands. 38 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:07,000 We should see the pack as a platform for health education, full stop. 39 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,000 So it shouldn't be a matter of adding health warnings. 40 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,000 The whole pack should be dedicated to advising people about the dangers of smoking, 41 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,000 giving them supportive advice on how they might quit, 42 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,000 directing them to services that might give them further help in that direction.