Source: www.spe.at

Date: July 7 2016

Austrian MEP Karin Kadenback (S&D, AT) takes a welcoming position towards the Commission’s decisin not to renew the PMI agreement. She notes: “Health policy must not be influenced by commercial interests of the tobacco industry”

“The decision is now final. The European Commission will not extend the EU Cooperation Agreement with the tobacco company Philip Morris. Thus the treaty this Saturday, July 9, expires. This is a great success for an independent action against cigarette smuggling. The European Parliament had demanded in a resolution in early March that the agreement is not renewed. I am pleased that we have brought about the change of opinion in the Commission, “said SPÖ MEP Karin Kadenbach, member of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the European Parliament Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. The establishment of independent traceability systems in the fight against cigarette smuggling has already been decided and in the tobacco products Directive laid down. Therefore, it is now also sensible not to renew the EU cooperation agreement with Philip Morris.

Kadenbach: “This is a strong signal against the influence of tobacco companies. EU financial dependencies of the tobacco industry are unacceptable to me. “The agreement with Philip Morris was completed in 2004. The tobacco company had to pay $ 1.25 billion to the EU in the wake of the agreement in the past twelve years, the problem of illicit trafficking to take with tobacco products in attack. Ultimately, that has but encouraged financial dependencies. “Today, especially the mass of cheap cigarettes is a major problem and no longer the brand smuggling ‘. in addition, must by law soon independent traceability systems be introduced for tobacco products” , Kadenbach explained with reference to the tobacco products Directive. “The European Union must play a leading role in the fight against smoking and defend this place vehemently. With an extension of the EU would also violate the Framework Convention of the World Health Organisation for Tobacco Control. We’re committed to supporting our ambitious health policy and the fight against smoking affect commercial interests of the tobacco companies,” emphasizes the SPÖ MEP.