Tuesday

19th Mar 2024

Parliament vaping booths 'too confidential' to discuss

  • The European Parliament buildings in Brussels and Strasbourg may install specialised booths for MEPs who vape (Photo: Vaping360)

In an exercise of transparency, EUobserver filed a freedom of information request to get insights into an internal debate on e-cigarettes at the European Parliament.

The issue revolves around the possibility of setting up specialised booths at parliament premises for MEPs who vape. Vaping is banned at the parliament, outside designated areas for cigarettes.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Some MEPs are now demanding four new specialised booths for e-cigarette smokers in Brussels and in Strasbourg, an issue being debated among all the quaestors in charge of running day to day affairs.

Polish conservative MEP Karol Karski, who is one of the European Parliament's handful of quaestors, is also supporting a proposal to decorate a cafe "with a series of photographs displaying famous personalities while they are all smoking."

On the surface, the issue appears uncontroversial when compared to the bigger topics tackled by the same institution.

But the response to the freedom of information request by the parliament's secretary general Klaus Welle, the institution's most senior behind-the-scenes figure, suggests otherwise.

Although minutes of the debate are published online, Welle says any public exposure of the requested documents would "seriously undermine the institution's decision-making process".

He also argues that since a decision has not yet been made, none of the three documents linked to the request should be made public.

"Parliament stresses that, in order to prevent its ongoing decision-making process from being seriously undermined, a certain level of confidentiality for preparatory documents is required," he said, in a letter.

Document already published?

But one of the requested documents is a note, which the European Parliament appears to have already released.

It made the document public to this website in January under a similar freedom of information request on the very same issue.

A special tag number, which identifies the document, is almost identical to the one Welle is now refusing to disclose.

The identifying tag numbers are respectively 644.275/QUEST and 644.275/QUEST/CM.

The draft notice released in January was written up by the parliament's medical division.

It states electronic cigarettes and vaping devices "cannot be considered safe".

And it highlights the newly-identified lung disease linked to vaping, known as Evali, as an emerging risk.

"Much like smoke, these aerosols are inhaled not only by the direct user but also by bystanders. This is known as second-hand aerosol (SHA) exposure," it says.

If indeed the same, it is unclear how the disclosure of this document in January is valid - yet then poses a "serious risk" a few months later.

Welle has also refused to reveal two other documents for similar reasons.

One is an email by Finnish far-left MEP Silvia Modig written to the European Parliament president.

According to Welle, her letter is "requesting a ban on the use of e-cigarettes in parliament premises."

But Modig's office, when queried on the email to the president, appears to say the very opposite.

"She feels that e-cigarettes should have their own space for smoking, just like cigarettes have. That's all," said her office, in an email.

The third and final document, which Welle refused to release, is a note that lays out information on existing smoking facilities at the European Parliament.

Apparently, that document is also too sensitive for public viewing.

Exclusive

Belgium prepares probe into Politico tobacco sponsorship

Tobacco company British American Tobacco sponsored the popular Playbook newsletter this week - saying it is not against the law because the advertisements were not about specific products. Now the Belgian authorities are preparing to investigate.

Feature

The shadowy EU parliament boss who likes to say 'no'

Despite 10 years in the job, Klaus Welle is the most powerful man in Brussels few have heard of. The Parliament secretary-general has granted EUobserver access to just one paper written by him - and refused 21 other requests.

Finnish PM: Russia preparing for 'long conflict with West'

Finland, which shares a border with Russia, has cautioned about the danger of a Russian attack in coming years. Russia is not "invincible" but "self-satisfaction is no longer an option," Finnish prime minister Petteri Orpo said.

Opinion

How the EU can raise its game in the Middle East

Could the EU repair its reputation and credibility by taking action on Gaza? EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, Spain, Belgium and Ireland, have worked hard to repair the damage, but have faced political headwinds due to internal divisions.

Latest News

  1. Borrell: 'Israel provoking famine', urges more aid access
  2. Europol: Israel-Gaza galvanising Jihadist recruitment in Europe
  3. EU to agree Israeli-settler blacklist, Borrell says
  4. EU ministers keen to use Russian profits for Ukraine ammo
  5. Call to change EIB defence spending rules hits scepticism
  6. Potential legal avenues to prosecute Navalny's killers
  7. EU summit, Gaza, Ukraine, reforms in focus this WEEK
  8. The present and future dystopia of political micro-targeting ads

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us