Tobacco: manufacture, presentation and sale of products (recast of Directives 89/622/EEC, 92/41/EEC, 90/239/EEC)

The Common position is less ambitious than the provisions sought by the European Parliament, and relected in the Commission's amended proposal, particularly as regards labelling size. However, it represents a significant improvement in the harmonisation of Internal Market rules compared to the present position, while taking a high level of public health protection into account. It may also be mentioned that the common position is stronger in certain respects than the European Parliament text, for example as regards products manufactured in the Union where the common position provides for no transitional period for products not intended for internal consumption. In addition, the Commission considered it desirable to agree to the common position in view of the opposition of several Member States to a more ambitious approach. It should also be noted that in this regard that one Member State did not support the common position, and that three Member States abstained. In concluson, the common position largely takes over the main elements of the Commission's original proposal, but fails to take full account of the amendments introduced by the European Parliament, and accepted by the Commission in its amended proposal. However, the Commission supports the common position as, as stated before, it represents an improvement in the harmonisation of Internal Market rules.