Consumer Protection21/03/04 / cata_european-union-news

This Decision sets out the rules for the use of colour photographs or other illustrations on packages of some or all types of tobacco products (other than tobacco for oral use and other smokeless tobacco products) in health warnings and applies to Member States which have decided to use colour photographs or other illustrations together with other, additional warnings (pursuant to Directive 2001/37/EC on approximation of the laws and administrative provisions of the Member States in this area) on packages of some or all tobacco products.

Where a Member State requires health warnings in the form of colour photographs or other illustrations, tobacco packages for which such photographs are required must carry a combined warning taken exclusively from the source documents provided by the Commission, without any changes to any of its components. A combined warning is defined in the Decision as a warning consisting of a photograph or other illustration and corresponding text of the additional warning. Upon application, the Commission will make available the appropriate source document, in electronic form, containing several photographs or other illustrations for each of the 14 additional warnings set out in Annex to the Directive on tobacco products.

A Member State that decides to use photographs or other illustrations on tobacco packages, is required to adopt and publish the provisions necessary to comply with this Decision by 1 October 2004.