The new Tobacco Products Directive includes a number of measures to control tobacco for the benefit of public health. These measures include;

• Mandatory warning images covering 75% of the front and the back of cigarette packets.
• A ban on marketing flavours in cigarettes, including ‘roll your own’ and smokeless tobacco products.
• A maintained ban on the smokeless tobacco product, snus.

Speaking about the new Directive, European Respiratory Society President, Professor Francesco Blasi, said: "The adoption of the EU Tobacco Products Directive by the European Commission is a step of paramount importance in the fight against tobacco and cigarette use in Europe.

“We hope that this proposal will be the first step of a new health policy in the EU that will lead to a substantial improvement in the prevention of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases through more stringent legislation on tobacco use.”

Read more information on the directive

Read the full ERS response on the directive