The European Commission called today for a total smoking ban across 27 countries and warned it would legislate if necessary to turn the European Union into a "smoke-free zone".
A new report says laws drawn up by Brussels would impose an "enforceable basic level of protection" against the risks from passive smoking. But the commission acknowledges that such a move would take time and "the end result could be difficult to predict".
Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou
Instead member states are also being asked to consider stepping up their own measures, either through voluntary codes or national legislation.
EU Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said he wants to see a comprehensive ban on smoking in all public place in the EU by the end of his term of office in mid-2009.
How the target should be achieved is the subject of today's consultation paper.
Despite the growing anti-smoking momentum in most of Europe, passive smoking still kills 79,000 people in the EU every year, and adults who are in daily contact with a smoker increase their mortality rate by 15 per cent, even if they have never smoked themselves.
The commission says that about one third of the EU's 480 million population still smoke - almost 38 per cent of men and 23 per cent of women.
The priority is a co-ordinated efforts towards a "smoke-free Europe", the report goes on, adding: "Comprehensive regulation would have the biggest potential to de-normalise smoking in society, creating an environment that encourages smokers to cut back or give up smoking and discourages young people from taking up smoking."
The commission wants the rest of the EU to follow the lead of Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales, who alone in the EU have drawn up comprehensive smoking bans in all enclosed public places and workplaces.
The Irish ban came into force in March 2004, followed by Scotland in March last year. Complete smoke-free legislation will be in force in Northern Ireland, England and Wales by summer this year.
Partial bans apply elsewhere, but Mr Kyprianou wants more to be done.
PA