HEALTH : KYPRIANOU TAKES THE FIGHT AGAINST TOBACCO INTO HOTEL ROOMS.

• Position: Markos Kyprianou

"This is an important step for non-smoking areas," said Markos Kyprianou, as he presented, on 30 January, his Green Paper entitled Towards a Europe without tobacco smoke: strategy options at European Union level'. According to the health commissioner, "this is the ideal time for the debate to take place at Community level as well". His initiative will doubtless enjoy a positive impact from the bans on smoking in public places starting to be put in place all over the EU.

ENCOURAGING TRENDS

While he proposes no Community action at this stage - that would be difficult to imagine since the EU has only shared competence for prevention - Kyprianou does not rule it out altogether. He is "encouraged by the present trend, even in countries like Germany [whose bill is before parliament now, Ed.], reputed to be the paradise of smokers and the tobacco industry".

The consultation covers five options: the status quo, at the risk of prompting unequal progress; voluntary measures, said to be ineffective; the open method of coordination,' aiming to achieve convergence in national anti-smoking laws; a Commission or Council recommendation, non-binding but setting policy priorities; and binding legislation imposing a comparable level of protection throughout the Union.

These options...