Tobacco.org

Stricter regulations for shopkeepers selling tobacco 

A recent survey revealed that over two-thirds of Hungarian teenagers have tried smoking, and experts are worried that current anti-smoking regulations are not effective enough, writes business daily Világgazdaság.

"Despite current regulations, storekeepers continue to sell cigarettes to children under the age of eighteen," noted László Szigeti, secretary of a Hungarian anti-smoking society (ODE).

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Hungary supports EU effort to ban smoking in public places, minister says  

Hungary supports a proposal to ban smoking in public places across the European Union, the health minister said Wednesday.

The proposed ban -- to be discussed Thursday at a summit of EU health ministers in Brussels, Belgium -- would make it illegal to light up in restaurants and other public areas across the 27-member bloc.

The Hungarian government "spoke in favor of a complete ban of smoking in public, enclosed places," Health Minister Agnes Horvath said. "This means that you will not be allowed to smoke in public places such as restaurants."

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Hungary tobacco producers see 7% excise tax hike in 2008 

The Association of Hungarian Tobacco Industry expects a 7% excise tax increase for 2008, as Hungary must comply with European Union regulations that prescribe EUR 64 tax per 1,000 cigarettes, President András Patai said on Thursday.

This increase was calculated at EUR/HUF 255, he added. Hungary's government raised excise tax on tobacco by 2.8% as of 1 April this year and will carry out another 2.8% hike in September.

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Cigarette smuggling down - paper 

Due to stricter customs control, the proportion of untaxed cigarettes illegally sold in Hungary dropped by half in the past six months, the national daily Magyar Hirlap reported on Friday. According to estimates, contraband products account for 11 percent of all cigarettes marketed in Hungary, as against 22 percent in 2005.

Over the past six months the customs authorities seized over 3,000 vehicles whose drivers attempted to smuggle cigarettes or fuel into Hungary. Although the cars and trucks concerned were returned to their owners once they have paid the fine levied on them, the method has proved to be effective.

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• Smoking out the illegal traders of tobacco products 

THE illegal tobacco trade fell by approximately 50% in the first half of 2006, thanks to the coordinated work of the Hungarian Customs and Finance Guard (VPOP), border guards and other law-enforcement agencies. In 2005, illegal trade in tobacco products represented 22% of total consumption, causing serious damage to the national economy and cigarette manufacturers, among them British American Tobacco Hungary, which said such illegal trade hurt the state as well as the industry. Rita Bede, spokesperson for BAT Hungary, said, “According to estimates, in 2004-2005 the state lost approximately Ft155bn ($808.4m) in tax revenues due to tobacco smuggling.

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EC addresses last warning to Czechs over tobacco ads 

The European Commission today addressed final warning to three countries, including the Czech Republic, over their failure to respect the EU's directive banning tobacco advertisements, the Reuters agency reported today.

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EU takes Italy to court over ban on tobacco ads, warns Hungary 

„These decisions underline that the commission has zero tolerance for allowing tobacco sponsorship, no matter whether it's for Formula One or for other events,” European Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said in a statement from Brussels yesterday. EU governments had to outlaw tobacco advertising in print media, on the radio and the Internet by July 31, 2005. The commission, the bloc's executive arm, has already taken Germany to the European Court of Justice for failing to ban such ads. The EU has been trying to prohibit tobacco advertising since 1998. The law forbids all cigarette ads aimed at an international audience, including sports sponsorship.

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• EU threat to sue over tobacco ban 

The European Commission said today it may sue Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Spain unless they promise within two months to properly enforce an EU ban on tobacco advertising that was adopted in 2003.

EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said: “The commission has zero tolerance for allowing tobacco sponsorship.”

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Fiscal Formula 1: Hotels register 100,000 guest nights 

FORMULA 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone said after the recent Hungarian Grand Prix that "Hungaroring has a valid contract to stage Formula 1 races until 2011." . . .

While Ecclestone confirmed the Hungaroring location until 2011, he also said cigarette ads would be eliminated, in line with the EU ban on advertising tobacco products.

This year such advertisements remained, as Hungaroring president László Palik described it, "under the fence" as allowed by a previous agreement.

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• Ban smoking! 

ALTHOUGH the first anti-smoking law came into effect in 1999, when Hungary was the world's third heaviest country for smoking, and the Health Ministry declared war on smoking by launching a nationwide program, smoking is still the number one public health hazard in 2006. In addition, Hungary ranks first in the world for rates of lung cancer in both genders, as well as for mouth cancer.

"Hungarian men and women under 65 are twice as likely to die of cancer as other European citizens, as the number of victims has gone up sharply in the past two decades," Róza Adány, a professor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences said at a conference this April. . . .

Also the Hungarian Society of Hungarian Pulmonologists recently proposed to lawmakers an overall ban on smoking in all public places, arguing that in European Union countries where a zero tolerance on smoking is endorsed, the average ratio of smokers dropped to 27% in 2005 from 32% previously, while the ratio in Hungary currently stands at 35%. According to WHO statistics, the per capita cigarette consumption in Hungary is 3,265 a year, 800 more than in the European Union. As many as 42% of Hungarian men and 29% of women smoke regularly, more than in the EU member states.

Around 53,000 men and 17,000 women die of cancer in Hungary each year. Hungary is the global leader in lung cancer mortality among men.

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• Renault was lone tobacco team in Hungary 

A Renault spokesman has explained why it was the only tobacco-sponsored team at the Hungarian grand prix last weekend to wear its cigarette logos.

Keen-eyed observers noted that while Phillip Morris-backed Ferrari and BAT-funded Honda ran their unbranded liveries, Renault raced around the Hungaroring with the logos of Japan Tobacco's 'Mild Seven' clearly displayed on the engine cover, side pods and front and rear wings. . . .

The Renault spokesman explained that Ferrari and Honda simply 'chose' to exercise the right to run unbranded in Hungary. "Our policy is always to respect local legislation," he said.

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• EU warns Italy and Hungary over tobacco ads 

The European Union's executive branch warned Italy and Hungary on Wednesday to fix their laws on tobacco advertising or face legal action before the bloc's highest court.

The European Commission sent them "reasoned opinions", the final step before going to the European Court of Justice, saying they had incorrectly implemented an EU tobacco advertising law by allowing exemptions for rules that ban sponsorships.

"The Commission is clear that there can be no derogation from the directive's ban on tobacco sponsorship for cross-border events, whether it's for Formula One or for other events," Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said in a statement.

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• EDITORIAL: Tobacco advertising in Hungary  

Hungary banned tobacco advertising in 1978 with a decree from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Formula 1 arrived in Budapest in 1986 and it was clear that pretty much anything was possible. But towards the end of the 1990s the Hungarians tightened the laws and in December 2000 the Hungarian Parliament voted for a ban.

The country signed up to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in June 2003 and ratified the treaty in April 2004. At the time the country was doing all the right things so that it would admitted to the European Union. That happened in May 2004, a move that allowed Hungarians to take advantage of the European markets, undercut the countries in the west . . .

The ruling Hungarian Socialist Party picked Ferenc Gyurcsany to be the new leader and he was appointed Prime Minister. Earlier this year he led the party to victory in the parliamentary elections. Gyurcsany is a former minister of sport and understands very well the problems of tobacco advertising in Hungary but this has not stopped his government from deciding to ignore its commitments to the WHO treaty and the European Union ban on tobacco sponsorship which came into effect in August last year. The government has enacted a law which allows tobacco advertising to continue if the event is deemed to be important to the Hungarian economy. . . .

It is odd that a government is willing to damage its reputation at international level by ignoring commitments made to gain what can only be seen as minor economic gains from a motor race.

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It is odd that a government is willing to damage its reputation at international level by ignoring commitments made to gain what can only be seen as minor economic gains from a motor race.
Editorial at grandprix.com on Hungary's allowance of tobacco advertising in the upcoming F1 race.

• Hungary dodges F1 tobacco ban 

The Hungarian government intends to continue to allow tobacco-liveried cars to race at its annual Grand Prix in Budapest.

Despite the European Union's continent-wide ban on cigarette adverts, the Hungarian economy ministry has reportedly enacted a counter-law that excludes 'events that are outstanding from the point of view of (the) national economy'.

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Tobacco advertising: European Commission takes action against four non-compliant Member States 

Tobacco advertising: European Commission takes action against four non-compliant Member States

The European Commission today demonstrated that it is maintaining its strong line on tobacco advertising, by sending “letters of formal notice” to Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary and Spain for non-compliance with the Tobacco Advertising Directive 2003/33/EC. The infringements relate mainly to exemptions from the sponsorship ban which these four Member States have allowed when transposing the Tobacco Advertising Directive into national law. The Member States have two months to reply to the letters of formal notice and must bring their legislation into conformity with the Directive. Otherwise, the Commission will continue with the next steps in the infringement procedure .

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