Brussels to copy Starmer with call for ban on smoking outside cafes and restaurants

European Commission aims to cut second-hand exposure to cigarettes and aerosol products, including vapes

The European Commission will call for a ban on smoking on cafe terraces and in other outdoor spaces as part of a crackdown that will also hit airports and workplaces.
Last month, Sir Keir Starmer said he was considering a similar move amid reports of new tobacco curbs on top of a smoking ban for anyone born in or after January 2009, launched under the Tories and taken on by Labour.
Recommendations by Brussels will also cover vaping and new nicotine-free products, according to documents leaked before an announcement on Tuesday.
They aim to cut second-hand exposure to both cigarette smoke and, amid concerns over the health risks of vaping, other aerosols.
“The level of coverage of smoke-free rules varies greatly based on the type of smoke-free environments, and the general level of coverage of outdoor spaces in smoke-free policies is low,” the commission said.
Brussels does not have the power to ban smoking in the European Union’s 27 member states. That remains among the powers reserved for national governments.
The suggestions expand existing guidelines for workplaces, public transport and public places, which were set out in 2009.
While the new guidelines are not binding, EU officials argue that the older recommendations led to a cut in exposure to second-hand smoke. It is part of a wider effort by Brussels to cut down cancer rates in Europe.
Individual EU member states have so far chosen how or whether to regulate smoking in outdoor places.
The guidelines say smoking should be banned in outdoor or semi-outdoors areas such as patios, terraces, balconies and rooftops. Such areas are closely associated with restaurants, bars and cafes or used as smoking areas at workplaces.
Airports, bus stops and other public transport hubs will be covered by the ban, as well as outdoor areas in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and universities.
Public playgrounds, amusement parks, swimming pools and zoos are also included as part of the measures to protect children from second hand smoke.
The Euronews broadcaster reported that the new guidelines targeted emerging products including “heated tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, whether containing nicotine or nicotine-free”, while “tobacco surrogates and any other smoke and/or aerosol emitting products” are also included.
The document also casts doubt on whether such products help people give up smoking. “The evidence on the use of emerging products as a cessation aid is inconclusive,” it said.
Second-hand exposure to “aerosols from electronic cigarettes, both with and without nicotine, expose bystanders to quantifiable levels of particulate matter and key toxicants and contaminants”, the draft said.