Public health: prevention of smoking and initiatives to improve tobacco control

The European Parliament adopted the resolution drafted by Jules MAATEN (ELDR, Netherlands) on the anti-tobacco campaign with 402 votes for, 36 against and 21 abstentions. (Please refer to the document dated (05/11/02). In addition, Parliament made the following amendments: -studies had shown a strong correlation between the acceptance of political donations from tobacco companies and opposition to tobacco control legislation; -effective tobacco measures would reduce tobacco consumption, and therefore run counter to the interests of a powerful economic sector, i.e. the tobacco industry. -a system must be implemented of recording, monitoring and reviewing the donations made by tobacco companies to European political groups, individual Members of the European Parliament, Commissioners and former Commissioners; -a system must also be implemented of recording, monitoring and reviewing the donations made by tobacco companies to political parties and individual politicians.�