L 61 - 2020-21 - Endeligt svar på spørgsmål 67: Spm. om oversendelse af korrespondance, som regeringen har haft med Kommissionen vedrørende notifikation af lovforslaget og de tilhørende bekendtgørelser, til sundheds- og ældreministeren

Sundhedsudvalget 2020-21
L 61
Offentligt

Ref. Ares(2020)6427769 - 06/11/2020

STELLA KYRIAKIDES

MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY

Rue de la Loi, 200

B-1049 Brussels

–

Berl 10/380

[email protected]

Brussels, 6 November 2020

Dear Minister Heunicke,

Thank you for your letter of 11 September 2020, in which you raise concerns about the rising

tobacco use amongst young people, pointing to the attractiveness of tobacco and nicotine

products with flavours for this age group in Denmark. In this context, you refer to the Danish

draft measures notified in the framework of the "Single Market Transparency Directive"

(Directive 2015/1535/EU).

As you are aware, one of the priorities of my mandate is to take

Europe’s fight against cancer

to a different level through our ambitious Cancer Plan that we will put forward before the end

of the year. Let me assure you that I attach great importance to tobacco control policies,

which are an indeed essential pillars in cancer prevention, as tobacco use is the leading

preventable cause of cancer.

“Europe’s Beating

Cancer Plan” will strengthen the EU tobacco

control framework by reinforcing its rigorous application and giving impetus to its evaluation

and subsequent adaptation to new market trends and circumstances. It will also support

Member States’ efforts to fully implement the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

and meet the Sustainable Development Goals, ultimately moving Europe towards a tobacco-

free future.

Protecting young people from the hazardous effects of tobacco and related products is at the

core of EU tobacco control policies, and is key to achieving our shared tobacco control

ambitions. The Tobacco Products Directive aims to reduce the numbers of tobacco users with

a particular focus on discouraging young people from taking up smoking, and to ensure that

citizens across the EU are fully aware of the harmful effects of tobacco use.

Minister Magnus Heunicke

Minister for Health and Senior Citizens

E-Mail: [email protected]

L 61 - 2020-21 - Endeligt svar på spørgsmål 67: Spm. om oversendelse af korrespondance, som regeringen har haft med Kommissionen vedrørende notifikation af lovforslaget og de tilhørende bekendtgørelser, til sundheds- og ældreministeren

In this vein, I would like to assure you that the Commission shares the objective of preventing

youngsters from smoking and nicotine addiction and we have welcomed several measures

proposed by Denmark as part of the recent notification, such as the introduction of

standardised packaging for tobacco and related products. However, the Commission issued a

detailed opinion with respect to the proposed introduction of a ban on certain characterising

flavours because it is contrary to the temporary exemption allowed by the EU legislator for

these products.

However, notwithstanding this legal analysis, let me underline that the objective pursued by

the entire set of draft Danish measures (i.e. to prevent use of tobacco and related products by

young people) would be undermined by the proposed exemptions for certain flavours such as

menthol. Thus, attractiveness of such flavoured products could even increase in future,

especially in the context of the recent applicability (20 May 2020) of the EU ban on menthol

cigarettes and roll-your own tobacco.

At the same time, I take this opportunity to assure you that this issue will be given specific

consideration in the context of the upcoming Commission report on the application of the

Tobacco Products Directive to be submitted to the European Parliament, the Council, the

European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions by May 2021.

If needed, we will not hesitate to address the necessary modifications. In the meantime, you

might consider prohibiting certain categories of tobacco or related products, such as chewing

or nasal tobacco.

I hope that you will find this information helpful in clarifying the Commission’s approach on

these important matters and I look very much forward to working closely with you to prevent

and reduce tobacco use among young people.

Yours sincerely,

Electronically signed on 06/11/2020 16:00 (UTC+01) in accordance with article 11 of Commission Decision C(2020) 4482