European Smoking Bans

8/13/2019 European Smoking Bans

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European smoking bans - Evolution of the legislation

More and more countries in Europe are adopting stricter legislation on smoking in publicplaces. This article will be updated regularly with information gathered by EPHAmembers, such as the European Network for moking Pre!ention "ENP#and theEuropean $espiratory ocietyon the progress of European countries in implementinganti%smoking legislation.

&ntroduction

&n March '(() Irelandbecame the first country in the world to impose an outright banon smoking in workplaces. &rish legislation makes it an offence to smoke in workplaces,which has the effect of banning smoking in pubs and restaurants.

*ollowing this successful e+ample, Norwayand Italywere ne+t to follow suit. thercountries, such as -ritain, Portugal and weden, ha!e drafted plans to establish similarlaws.

Albania

The Albanian go!ernment appro!ed a bill of law to ban smoking in public places, such asbars and restaurants in the summer of 2006. The law is intended to lower the number ofsmokers in the country, which has one of the highest smoking rates in Europe.

Austria

The Austrian Tobacco law prohibits smoking buildings that are open to the public andinstitutions open to children and young people -T does not include workplaces. Austriaplans to pass legislation banning smoking in restaurants by the end of 2007, with separatesmoking rooms or air conditioning measures.

-elgium

ince /anuary '((0, -elgium has banned smoking in all enclosed workplaces. mokingwill only be allowed in designated areas. Howe!er, employers are not obliged to createsuch areas.

ince /anuary '((1, -elgium allowed smoking in restaurants in separate rooms where nofood was ser!ed. -ars and caf2s were not yet affected by the ban but were re3uired topro!ide ade3uate !entilation and a non%smoking 4one to their clients.

From !uly 20, -elgium will ban smoking in all public places, including caf2s, bars

and nightclubs. mokers will be allowed to smoke in a separate room were no drink orfood is ser!ed.

-ulgaria
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moking has been banned in all enclosed workplaces, bars and restaurants since /anuary200". Howe!er, the ban is !ery weak and the implementation of the law incomplete.

5roatia

&n '((6, the 5roatian Parliament passed a law making hospitals "e+cept psychiatric

ser!ices#, schools "including uni!ersities#, and nurseries smoke free. &n '((7, this law hasbeen enforced, e+panding the scope of the te+t to all enclosed public places includingbars, restaurants and cafes.

From 200# to 200, the ban has been partially repealed. Establishments that are up to 8(s3m respecting !ery strict conditions can choose to allow tobacco consumption.

5yprus

The protection of Health "smoking# nified 9aws '(('%'(() prohibit smoking in allpublic places, including places of entertainment "restaurants, bars etc# in all go!ernmentbuildings, public transport and in pri!ate cars carrying any passenger under :0. eparate

smoking areas that are well !entilated will be introduced at the discretion of indi!idualbar, cafe or restaurant owners.

54ech $epublic

&n April 2007, the Parliament passed an anti%smoking bill ought to limit smoking inrestaurants and other public areas. eparate premises in restaurants, cafes and bars willha!e to be reser!ed for smokers.

;enmark


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en!ironments. The Health Act '((0defines enclosed public places and workplaces asbeing offices, factories, shops, pubs, bars, restaurants, membership clubs, public transportand work !ehicles that are used by more than one person.

Estonia

-ars, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs will come under a complete ban on smoking on 8/une 2007. moking will only be permitted in enclosed smoking rooms with a separarte!entilation system. A complete ban on smoking has been imposed on all enclosedpremises which are open to the public since /une '((8.

*inland

As of /une 2007, *inland went completely smoke%free in all indoor public places,including bars and restaurants.

*rance

n : *ebruary '((1 *rance prohibited smoking in public places, including offices andschools. ince 200$, the ban was e+tend to co!er all public places including amongstothers, restaurants, dance clubs and cafes.

@ermany

n '' March '((1, @ermanys federal states agreed to ban smoking in restaurants andpubs, but allows e+emptions for small bars and premises with separate smoking rooms.This proposed ban will ha!e to be appro!ed by each of the si+teen state parliamentsbefore it can come into force.

-erlinis set to be the first city to inforce the ban on smoking in public buildings, as well

as bars and restaurants.

n the '1 April '((1, the *ederal Health Minister and the *ederal 5onsumer AffairsMinister of @ermany introduced a bill to ban smoking in buses, trains, ta+is, stations and*ederal go!ernment buildings as of : eptember '((1, while still pro!iding the option forseparate smoking rooms. The sale of cigarettes will also be prohibited to persons under:6.

@reece

%in&e %eptember 200, @reece has implemented a new smoke free regulationprohibiting the @reek population to smoke in bars, restaurants, cafes, workplaces "with

no separated smoking room allowed# and public transport.


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public were !ery weak when compared to regulations in other European countries. Thiswas due to the a!ailability of cigarettes, as well as the weak regulation on smoking andthe lack of political support for strong inter!entions to control tobacco.

The situation is about to changeC from !anuary 202, public places, restaurants and bars"amongst other workplaces# will be smoke free in Hungary.

&celand

&celand will go completely smoke%free on : /une 2007.

&reland

&reland went completely smoke%free in 200', including bars and restaurants.

&taly

&talian legislation has prohibited smoking in the workplace since 200", including bars and

restaurants. Howe!er, enclosed and separately !entilated rooms are permited.

Nothern &reland

Northern &relands smoke-freelegislation came into effect on (0 )pril 2007. moking isno longer permitted in enclosed public places and work places, including bars andrestaurants.

9at!ia

moking is prohibited in many indoor public places and municipalities ha!e the power toprohibit smoking in outdoor public places. Howe!er, smoking is permited in bars andrestaurants and other public actering establishments, howe!er owners must set up no%smoking rooms.

9ithuania

9ithuania went smoke%free in /anuary 2007.

9u+embourg

Anti%smoking legislation was recently passed by the *u+embourgparliament. There willbe a total ban on advertising and sponsoring, plus a ban on smoking in public placessuch as restaurants "although separate smoking rooms are permitted if these account forless than '8B of the total area of the !enue# and caf2s "with a ban in place during dininghours#, total ban in schools as well as public buildings, buses and trains.


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Malta

ince 200', smoking has been banned in enclosed premises, e+cept in designatedsmoking rooms. The ban includes bars and restaurants.

Netherlands

A complete ban at workplaces has been implemented in the Netherlands since '((). Thelaw was e+panded in 200$to co!er restaurants, cafes, nighclubs and bars. mall bars andcafes that do not ha!e employees are e+empted from the legislation "the only obligation isfor them to post signes that smoking is allowed#.

Norway

moking legislation which has been in place since 200'in Norway, prohibits smoking inbars and restaurants, but allows workplaces to ha!e designated smoking rooms.

Poland

ince '((D, Polands legislation has prohibited smoking in enclosed workplaces with thee+ception of designated smoking areas.

&n 200, the country re!iewed its national tobacco legislation. After numerousdiscussions, the new pieces of legislation foresees a smoking ban inC

hospitals and other outpatients clinics and premises for patients all educational premisesworkplaces "employers can pro!ide smoking rooms but they ha!e to be specially

prepared, with automatic !entilation# all means of public transport bars and restaurants"but if there is more than one room the owner can pro!ide one room for smokers, whichwill ha!e to be automatically closed and ha!e proper !entilation# public cultural and

leisure !enues bus, tram, and train stops sport stadiums and other premises childrensplaygrounds other public access !enues "not specified#.

Additionally, owners of these premises may build % but are not obliged % special, i.e.smoking rooms closed with !entilation in C retirement homes hotels airportsuni!ersities.

Agreed on on the '7 April '(:(, there are 0 months to implement the Act.

Portugal

Portugals smoking ban does not include bars and restaurants. moking is banned in

healthcare, education and go!ernment facilities, as well as indoor workplaces, offices,theatres and ciinemas with designated smoking areas. moking is banned on ourneysthat take less than an hour by public transport.

The go!ernment is currently re!iewing its smoke free legislation in the direction ofsmoke free restaurants, nightclubs and bars. EPHA will keep you updated about the latestde!elopments.

$omania


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moking is banned in all enclosed public places. -ars, restaurants and nightclubs areobliged to mark out smoking and non%smoking areas and ensure that !entillation isinstalled.

cotland

cotland implemented its smoking ban in March 2006. The ban co!ers all pubs,restaurants, bars, shops, cinemas, offices, hospitals, work !ehicles and sports centres.E+emptions include pri!ate residential homes, pri!ate !ehicles and designated rooms incare homes, prisons and hotels.

lo!akia

ince :77(, eployers in lo!akia ha!e been obliged to ban smoking in workplaces wherenon%smokers work. chools, health and social facilities are smoke%free, howe!er smoke%free 4ones are only mandatory in establishments ser!ing food.

lo!enia

A public consultation on the new tobacco bill, which had been proposed by the lo!enianMinistry of Health, concluded in /anuary 2007. The proposal for the new law includes atotal ban on smoking in all enclosed public places, including bars and restaurants,although e+emptions will be made for separate smoking areas.

pain

*rom : /anuary '((0, pain prohibited smoking at the workplace. *or bars andrestaurants that are larger than :(( s3m, the law allowed the creation of separate smokingrooms. *or bars and restaurants that are smaller than :(( sm3 "and this is the !astmaority of cases#, the legislation offered the bar owner the posibility of going smokefree.

n 2 !anuary 20, pain introduced one of the toughest pieces of smoke freelegislations in the E. *rom now on, smoking is banned in bars, restaurants,discothe3ues, casinos, airports as well as in outside places such as outside hospitals andchildrens playgrounds. nly hotels are allowed to ha!e D(B of their rooms open tosmokers.

weden

&n weden most workplaces are smoke%free. All bars, restaurants and nightclubs are alsosmoke%free. The law does allow for separately !entillated smoking rooms but less than'B of wedish facilities ha!e opted for this option.

wit4erland

wit4erland imposes partial restrictions in indoor workplaces.


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of the ban in England. moking is now banned in most public places, includingrestaurants, pubs and bars.

N,. last update. /ay 20

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European Smoking Bans