Healthcare NGOs gathered in the European Parliament to listen to Health Commissioner Tonio Borg discuss the controversial Tobacco Directive after he had attended the European Council’s Competitiveness meeting.

Borg said the Council gathering had discussed the issue, arguing that the controversial Tobacco Directive’s implementation could cost jobs and others saying that improvement in health would more than compensate. “This is a health issue. Of course it has economic effects, but it is a health issue,” said Borg.

“This is a balanced directive. Balanced but ambitious,” Borg said.

He explained that the Commission, and many others’ position was straightforward, “We all shared the conviction, that as responsible legislators we must stop our children smoking. We all know the results of smoking, cancer, heart disease and premature death.”

He said that a city the size of Frankfurt was lost every year due to smoking and noted, “If tobacco had been introduced today it would be prohibited.