Belgian Minister of Public Health Maggie De Block (Open Vld) wants to ban menthol tobacco before the European deadline of 2020, but faces the European Commission which threatens to take Belgium to court if it persists. In any case, this is what our colleagues from La Libre.
AN ANTI-EUROPEAN TOBACCO POLICY THAT LACKS LOGIC
In 2014, the European Union decided to ban tobacco “ containing a particular characterizing aroma', With an exemption if the Union-wide sales volume is 3% or more in a product category. In this case, the ban will not come into effect until May 20, 2020.
The Minister of Public Health has prepared a draft royal decree translating the European directive into Belgian law, without however taking into account this exemption granted to menthol tobacco. " The protection of health, in particular that of young people, justifies applying this measure as soon as possible" , valued Mrs. De Block.
Against all odds, however, the European Commission sent the Belgian government a notice threatening to attack him in the EU Court of Justice if he does not review his copy. The European executive recalls that the text of the directive indicates that the elimination of flavored tobacco " should be spread over an extended period of time, to give consumers enough time to switch to other products"
The European Commission is now awaiting information on Belgian intentions, but the De Block cabinet confirms the desire to ban menthol before the European deadline of 2020 while analyzing the Commission's opinion. The steps taken by the European executive have already postponed the adoption of the decree by six months.
