Brussels, 27/08/2013 (Agence Europe) - In an article published on 26 August by the Polish weekly, Uwazam Rze, two Polish MEPs accuse the rapporteur on the tobacco directive, Linda McAvan (S&D, UK), of giving way to the lobbying of the pharmaceutical industry. With the European institutions soon to be back at work after the summer break and wrangling likely to start up swiftly on the new directive, especially with the plenary vote of the European Parliament vote in September, MEP Zbigniew Ziobro (ECR, Poland) denounces the pressure exerted by lobbyists from the pharmaceutical industry, saying there is huge lobbying pressure being put on all MEPs. He has always declined to meet the lobbyists but, he explained, they are still offering him trips or lunches. He believes this is “hidden corruption”. Andrzej Grzyb (EPP, Poland) said: “This is a major reason for evaluating whether indeed the rapporteur is an unbiased person”.
According to Ziobro, McAvan may be influenced by a former MEP and colleague of the S&D Group, David Harley, who is today employed by the communication agency, Burson-Marsteller, and who defends the interests of pharmaceutical giants such as Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer. Grzby for his part cites a letter sent in November 2011 to the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, by the largest pharmaceutical groups, which called upon him to step up efforts so that the Commission presents its draft directive as soon as possible, without further additional impact analysis. The letter was jointly signed by MEP McAvan. In an article, the Polish daily highlights the enormous potential for the pharmaceutical industry of bringing strict rules on tobacco products into force, explaining that increasing numbers of discouraged smokers would increasingly buy pills, patches or gums to help them quit smoking. Profits would be larger for the pharmaceutical industry if e-cigarettes were classed as a medical product, accessible only by prescription. That proposal was supported by McAvan.
On 10 July, the environment, public health and food safety committee of the EP adopted the report by McAvan. The text is more intransigent than the Commission proposals and, more particularly, than the general approach reached in June by the Council of Ministers, on marketing strategies set in place by the tobacco industry (see EUROPE 10842 and 10846). Poland, which reaps considerable economic benefit from the growing and marketing of tobacco, is particularly reticent about strict legislation and there was lengthy discussion before it could agree to the compromise of the Irish EU Council Presidency in June. The Parliament, for its part, is due to vote on the issue in plenary next month, taking into account the negative opinion of the industry committee and reservation expressed by the agriculture committee. Once the report is adopted in plenary, the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU Council will host talks between Parliament and Council. The debate promises to be tough. (IL/transl.jl)