Message 002
Communication from the Commission - TRIS/(2019) 02706
Directive (EU) 2015/1535
Translation of the message 001
Notification: 2019/0479/NL
No abre el plazo - Nezahajuje odklady - Fristerne indledes ikke - Kein Fristbeginn - Viivituste perioodi ei avata - Καμμία έναρξη προθεσμίας - Does not open the delays - N'ouvre pas de délais - Non fa decorrere la mora - Neietekmē atlikšanu - Atidėjimai nepradedami - Nem nyitja meg a késéseket - Ma’ jiftaħx il-perijodi ta’ dawmien - Geen termijnbegin - Nie otwiera opóźnień - Não inicia o prazo - Neotvorí oneskorenia - Ne uvaja zamud - Määräaika ei ala tästä - Inleder ingen frist - Не се предвижда период на прекъсване - Nu deschide perioadele de stagnare - Nu deschide perioadele de stagnare.
(MSG: 201902706.EN)
1. MSG 002 IND 2019 0479 NL EN 01-10-2019 NL NOTIF
2. NL
3A. Ministerie van Financiën
Belastingdienst/Douane centrale dienst voor in- en uitvoer
3B. Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport, Directie Wetgeving en Juridische Zaken
4. 2019/0479/NL - X00M
5. Order of the State Secretary for Health,
Welfare and Sport amending the Tobacco and Smoking Products Order concerning the introduction of standard packaging for cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco.
6. This pertains to tobacco and related products.
7. -
8. This amending Order lays down additional requirements for cigarette and roll-your-own tobacco packaging that provide that the packaging of these products is only permitted to have a standardised appearance. More specifically, these requirements concern:
- the colour of the inside and outside of the unit packet, the outer packaging and the film in a unit packet;
- the colour, the font and the font size of the information permitted on the unit packet and the outer packaging;
- the manner in which the brand name, the brand variant, the bar code and the manufacturer information are indicated.
9. For a successful tobacco control policy, it is necessary to focus on several measures that relate to each other. These measures consist of, among other things, the introduction of the standard packaging, the display ban, the extension of the ban on smoking and the advertising ban, an increase in excise duties, the use of multi-annual campaigns, and accessible and available care services to help people stop smoking. All of these measures are aimed at preventing tobacco products from being attractive, accessible and available to young people, but also to other vulnerable groups such as smokers who want to stop and ex-smokers.
Within the above-mentioned framework, this Ministerial Order lays down additional packaging requirements for cigarette and roll-your-own tobacco packaging. Requirements are laid down for almost every aspect of design. These rules are exhaustive: only that which has been regulated is permitted. Everything else is forbidden. It will only be possible to distinguish packaging by means of the brand name and brand variant. It will no longer be possible to draw special attention to a product using colours and logos. This will give cigarette and roll-your-own tobacco packaging the same standardised appearance. This will reduce the temptation to smoke and be exposed to passive smoking, thus contributing to a successful tobacco control policy. No less restrictive alternative that can achieve the same goal is conceivable, thus making the packaging requirements in this Order necessary. The requirements are also the result of a balancing of interests that involves a reasonable clearance sale arrangement for existing stocks. Finally, the packaging requirements apply to all cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco products on the market or about to be on the market in the Netherlands, meaning that the regulation is non-discriminatory. As a result, this Order is necessary, proportional and commensurate, and it is in accordance with the applicable legislative provisions, which are further defined in Section 5 of the explanatory notes to the Order.
10. Numbers or titles of the basic texts: Annex 1: a combined file containing the relevant legal bases in the Tobacco and Smoking Products Act [Tabaks- en rookwarenwet], the Tobacco and Smoking Products Decree [Tabaks- en rookwarenbesluit] and the Tobacco and Smoking Products Order [Tabaks- en rookwarenregeling] in the version in force on 20 September 2019.
Annexes 2 and 3: the Decree amending the Tobacco and Smoking Products Decree (Annex 2) and the explanatory notes thereto (Annex 3).
It is emphasised that the present notification pertains to a notification of the Order requiring standard packaging for cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco. For the full title of the Order, reference is made to Section 5 of this form. The other annexes and draft amendment texts therefore only pertain to ‘basic texts’.
11. No
12. -
13. No
14. No
15. Yes
16. TBT aspect
No - the draft conforms to an international standard.
SPS aspect
No - the draft is neither a sanitary nor phytosanitary measure
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European Commission
Contact point Directive (EU) 2015/1535
Fax: +32 229 98043
email: grow-dir2015-1535-central@ec.europa.eu