As an RMF FM journalist found out, the EU Regulatory Review Council, which controls the quality of analyzes prepared by the European Commission, issued a negative opinion on the proposed regulations. And this may mean delaying the controversial reform.
Poland has a lot to lose in this matter. It is one of the largest producers of tobacco products in Europe and accounts for around 40 percent of EU production. About 10,000 people work in the entire sector. The new regulations may mean serious restrictions for Polish companies in the production and sale of not only cigarettes, but also alternative products. Jobs, investments and the future of the nation's tobacco growers are also at stake.
The Council is questioning changes to two directives
According to information from RMF FM, the EU Regulatory Review Board questioned the assessment of the effects of planned changes to two directives: on tobacco and on the advertising of tobacco products. Experts pointed out that the European Commission did not demonstrate convincingly enough how the new restrictions would affect the market, businesses and consumers.
A spokeswoman for the European Commission confirmed in response to RMF FM that the Council's opinion was negative. However, she emphasized that this was an internal procedure for preparing the project and therefore she could not comment on it officially.
RMF FM information shows that the lack of sufficient scientific justification for some assumptions regarding new nicotine products is particularly important. Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi has previously argued that e-cigarettes can be as harmful or even more harmful than traditional cigarettes. Meanwhile, the presented analysis did not provide sufficient confirmation of the assumptions on which the EC wants to base the new regulations.
Of course, this does not mean that new products are harmless. Nicotine is addictive and the use of these products carries health risks. The problem, however, is that the EC should demonstrate what the differences are between individual products and what evidence it bases the proposed restrictions on.
This is the second warning signal for Commissioner Várhelyi. Earlier, the Council negatively assessed the evaluation of the functioning of the applicable regulations, i.e. the analysis of how the existing regulations work in practice. Now experts' reservations concern the assessment of the effects of their future change.
The project may be delayed
The date of submitting the project was therefore questionable. Commissioner Várhelyi planned to present the proposals in December. As an RMF FM journalist heard in the European Commission, the legislative work schedule is only indicative, and proposals are presented when they are sufficiently refined. So there is no guarantee that the project will be presented this year.
The planned restrictions may concern, among others, flavors and aromas, nicotine sachets, uniform packaging and the possibility of introducing new products to the market. This is particularly important for Poland because the domestic industry produces both traditional tobacco products and new nicotine products. Greater restrictions may affect the development of this part of the market, as well as Polish tobacco crops and processing companies.
Among the member states, there are supporters of a decisive tightening of regulations, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Germany, as well as more skeptical countries that demand, above all, a reliable assessment of the economic and health effects. Poland has not yet presented a clear position on the entire package.
