A series of new regulations restricting the tobacco industry have been approved the European Parliament on October 8, although some of them do not go as far as were originally expected.
European members of parliament decided to put health warnings on 65% of each cigarette pack, as opposed to the proposed 75%. Currently, warnings occupy 30% of the front and 40% of the back.
They approved a ban on cigarette flavourings such as cinnamon or fruit, but with an eight-year delay in the case of menthol to allow the industry time to adapt.
Slim cigarettes will not be banned but cigarette packs with fewer than 20 cigarettes will.
One of the most controversial topics was a European Commission proposal to treat electronic cigarettes as medicinal products, which would force them to be subject to compulsory medical tests. The proposal was rejected and will allow them to continue being sold in tobacco shops and other retailers.
A report on BBC News online says the approved measures could become law in 2014. It would then take two more years to become law in each of the 27 European Union member states.
