EFA

The European Council adopted on the 30th of November a recommendation on smoke free environments. It recommends that EU Member States comply before the end of 2012 with article 8 of the the WHO framework convention on Tobacco control, which deals with protection from exposure to tobacco smoke in indoor workplaces, indoor public places, public transport and as appropriate other public places. It insists on the importance of developing a strategy to protect children and adolescents from second-hand smoke. Finally, it encourages Member state to communicate national focal points for tobacco control within 6 months of the adoption of this text. Even if this is only a recommendation, it is an expression of political will and advocates for clean air can use this. Another initiative going on is the possible upgrade of the EU workplace legislation to ban SHS. EFA strongly supports this and will follow up. Resolution of the European Parliament on smoke-free environments: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT TA P7-TA-2009-0100 0 DOC XML V0//EN