Brussels wants EU-wide smoking ban in pubs and cafés

The European Commission is planning to start consultations on a possible EU-wide ban on smoking in all work places, but any legislative proposal on the issue is unlikely to happen during the term of the current commission, the EU executive said on Monday (27 October).

"[EU social affairs] commissioner Vladimir Spidla would like to see a ban in all work places on smoking, for both health and safety reasons. At this very early stage of discussion, we are planning to consult social partner...