The European commission launches a consultation on “smoke free environments” today in a bid to assess public opinion on smoking bans in Europe.

A number of EU countries have introduced smoking bans in public places in recent years, including Italy, Ireland, Sweden and Belgium.

A 2006 EU-wide survey found that more than two-thirds of people supported a smoking ban in public places, with 90% of Swedes in favour.

EU health commissioner Markos Kyprianou reportedly wants to use these countries’ successful experiences as a basis for a possible EU-wide smoking ban.

The commission says the aim of the consultation is to “explore both legal mechanisms and health promotion initiatives at both European and member state level”.

According to commission figures, adults who are in daily contact with a smoker increase their mortality rate by 15 per cent even if they have never smoked themselves.

A major German newspaper, Die Welt notes that the commission’s approach has the support of the German government.

“It is very sensible for the EU to have a unified approach on the protection of non-smokers,” said Germany’s consumer secretary Gert Lindemann, adding that “the EU is going in a direction that we in Germany will also effectively follow”.

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