The arrival of Germany to the presidency of the European Union could well be a disaster for the vaping. Indeed, according to some sources the country could use its impending EU presidency to further block vaping products across Europe.
VAPE, EU PRESIDENCY, HARMFUL LOBBYING?
The future of vaping in Europe could well be played out very soon with the arrival of Germany as President of the European Union. According to the site The World, the German Federal Commissioner for Drugs hopes to use his country's impending presidency to further block vaping products across Europe.
Die Welt writes that Daniela Ludwig has identified an opportunity to shift her hate of harm reduction products to a wider audience as Germany takes her six-month presidency for the second half of 2020. The 44-year-old politician from Rosenheim is also counting on the European Union .
Regulations are always different from one country to another. From this summer, Germany will assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU. " We have the opportunity to talk to the countries about it. I would have already prepared a catalog for the e-cigarette Explained Ludwig. For example, the taxation or composition rules should be standardized.
The commissioner leaves no doubt as to her primary objective. " I want people to get away from cigarettes, whether it's tobacco or some other product “Said Ludwig.
Daniela Ludwig is in favor of both the ban on advertising for electronic cigarettes and the taxation of e-liquids in Germany at the same rate as those applied for tobacco, as well as the strict restriction of flavors.
It is important to note that this situation occurs despite a federal government report on drugs and drug addiction presented by Ludwig in 2019 concluding that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than smoking, and the Addiction Research Institute of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences stating that the potential of e-cigarettes in Germany has been “ massively underestimated ».
ETHRA (European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates) which brings together many players in tobacco risk reduction in Europe is concerned about the arrival of the German presidency and what 
this could generate for vapers in EU member states. ETHRA hopes it will use its mandate wisely instead of instituting naive and thoughtless regulation on the continent.
According to ETHRA, Europe has no lesson to take from Germany on vaping and the EU would be wrong to force member states into counterproductive legislation on taxation, flavors and advertising concerning nicotine products with reduced risk.
«It is disappointing that Mrs Ludwig wants the failed German policies to be transferred to the European Union as a whole", said Hendrik Broxtermann from partner ETHRA ExRaucher (IG), “ The regulation of vaping under the current EU Tobacco Products Directive is not perfect but may be acceptable. We should seek to improve the regulations we have by liberalizing certain areas, without imposing more restrictions that can only protect the cigarette trade. Taxation on vaping products will deter millions of smokers from trying safer products; banning or restricting flavors will remove a major factor in the attractiveness of vaping as a substitute for smoking; and banning advertising will make products much safer and less visible to those who need them. »
« What Ms. Ludwig should do is engage with the people who use these products instead of taking an ideological stance, while ignoring her own scientific experts on the subject. »
Source : ETHRA
