EU Members States say yes to RIP Cigarettes

On 29 November 2007, the EU RIP Alliance obtained Member State endorsement of mandating cigarette makers to only sell self-extinguishing cigarettes (RIP cigarettes).

The EU Member States have overwhelmingly endorsed the EC plans to draw up proposals for a standard to combat the leading cause of home fire fatalities each year. The standard will require tobacco companies to only sell self-extinguishing (RIP) cigarettes. The decision by Member states in the General Safety Product Safety Committee will start the process of bringing the European union into line with many other countries such as the Canada and 22 US states. The European Commission will take a formal decision on the mandate for a standard in Spring 2008.

It is clear that the efforts of the Public health and NGO communities at national and European level have contributed significantly to ensuring the national support within the General Safety Product Committee for the introduction of reduced-ignition propensity cigarettes.

During the press event, MEP Arlene McCarhty (who has been the champion of the RIP Alliance in the European Parliament) stressed that this victory “would not have been possible without the help of the campaigners and all the organisations that signed up to the EU RIP Alliance”

What next?

The adoption of the Decision (which will only become formal in the spring of 2008) is a huge success, but there is more work to be done. We need to continue to monitor and ensure that CEN, the EU Standardisation body, give appropriate consideration to the ASTM E2187-04 standard in its most recent form and in accordance with the latest and most stringent version at international level.

Created in 2006, The EU RIP Alliance is a new independent and flexible partnership between the Smoke Free Partnership, the European Child Safety Alliance, EuroSafe, the European Older People's Platform, the European Federation of Nurses Associations, EPHA (the European Public Health Alliance), Eurocare, PGEU, the Health & Environment Alliance, the London's European Office and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). In view of the fact that it is technologically and economically feasible for cigarettes to meet fire-safety standards, the EU Rip Alliance aims to promote in collaboration with other EU organisations such as the European Fire Safety Network, the introduction of reduced-ignition propensity based on the same standard as in New York and Canada (ASTM International).