Breaking News from Europe : E-Cigs/Vaporizing Industry Wins Major Decision

The Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association (TVECA) welcomes the adoption of the Tobacco Products Directive and a harmonised regulatory framework for electronic cigarettes in Europe.

“Today’s vote in the European Parliament is a milestone towards a harmonised regulatory framework for electronic cigarettes in Europe and ideally globally. We will continue to work with the European Commission and EU Member States to ensure this less harmful alternative to conventional tobacco products is widely available to smokers while strictly and uniformly regulated.”
- Ray Story, CEO of TVECA

- Commenting from the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Ray Story, CEO of TVECA, said “the Directive recognises e-cigarettes as a specific product within the Tobacco Products Directive and introduces strict quality, safety, packaging and labelling standards thus setting a new standard for the protection for consumers in the world”.

- While the Directive will lead to higher costs for the sector to comply with all the new requirements it also will contribute to the sector’s longevity and thus to a solid future for the electronic cigarette as a less harmful alternative to conventional tobacco products.

- TVECA is the leading and most representative non-profit association of private companies and industry associations and has led the E-cigarette Industry Coalition during the revision of the TPD composed together with the national electronic cigarette associations of Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland and Spain, many of which are Members of TVECA.

Strasbourg, 26 February 2014 The European Parliament approved today the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), which regulates electronic cigarettes under its Article 20. With a majority of 478 to 130 votes, MEPs decisively supported regulating e-cigarettes, unless health claims are made, under the new Directive. The EU decision making process has been closely followed by regulators and stakeholders around the world, notably the United States and other major trading partners of the EU.

TVECA’s CEO Ray Story attended the vote in the European Parliament in Strasbourg today and welcomed the new Directive as it creates for the first time ever a harmonised regulatory framework for e-cigarettes in Europe. “As a responsible and constructive international industry body we have always supported legislation ensuring high quality and safety standards for our products while making them available to consumers on an equal footing with conventional tobacco products”, Mr Story said.

Although the Directive is far from the ideal framework that was wished by the sector, the final outcome is workable for industry, especially taking into consideration the political reality of the complex and intense negotiations between the European Institutions that preceded the agreement. As Mr Story recalls, “The final text of the TPD radically improves the initial proposal of the European Commission, which would have de facto banned electronic cigarettes by classifying them as medicinal products. Keeping the status quo of no specific regulation any longer was no option neither for policy-makers nor for responsible industry”.

“I hope that my own country, the United States, will follow the good example set by the European Union and apply the same principles and standards so that the new U.S. regulatory framework for electronic cigarettes will be equally logical and responsible and contribute to a Transatlantic level playing field with the EU”, Mr Story concluded.

The text adopted in the European Parliament will now have to be ratified by the Council of the EU and signed by the Presidents of the European Parliament and the Council Presidency. The expected publication date in the Official Journal of the European Union is April-May 2014.

About TVECA - The most representative global and European electronic cigarette industry association:

TVECA is the leading and most representative non-profit association of private sector companies and sector associations of electronic cigarette organised industry stakeholders in Europe and globally. Members are involved in all sectors of the creation and promotion of electronic cigarettes. TVECA’s membership in Europe includes companies in Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Belgium. It also represents all existing vendor’s associations including in Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Greece, Spain and Poland. Originating from the United States, TVECA increasingly is the unique reference in representing the electronic cigarette industry and promoting sound regulation in all of the regions where it is active.

TVECA’s aim is to provide the tools and information necessary for policy-makers, media and private sector companies to make informed decisions, and to dispel highly inaccurate views and opinions. Further information on TVECA and its activities can be found on the official website of the association via the following link: www.tveca.com