European tobacco retailers plan a protest march in Brussels on 22 January against proposed regulatory changes that include a ban on characterizing flavours in tobacco products and much larger cigarette warning messages.

Organized by the European Confederation of Tobacco Retailers (CEDT), the demonstration will include contingents from Germany, France, Italy, Poland and Spain, Germany's Tabak Zeitung (DTZ) reported. Meeting point is the Brussels headquarters of CEDT. The march will culminate before the Berlaymont administration building of the European Union.
Proposals to revise the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) include increasing the size of warnings on cigarette packs to three-quarters of the front and back, and a ban on characterizing flavours to include most menthol cigarettes currently on the market. Electronic cigarettes with liquid nicotine would be allowed as a non-pharmaceutical product only in doses below what currently is on the market. (ci)