The European Parliament is considering controversial proposals to ban the sale of cigarettes to under-18s and other measures to protect young people from tobacco.
A motion placed before the parliament on the resolution, based on a report of the EU Environment Committee on ways to combat tobacco consumption, expressed support for an EU-wide ban on tobacco sales to people under 18.
However, a large number of amendments to the proposals from MEPs are designed to make the report less radical. In particular, the beneficial impact of the tobacco industry is repeatedly emphasised in some amendments.
Other proposals in the report include a ban on tobacco vending machines, a ban on packaging particularly geared to attracting young people, and calls for price increases.
The draft resolution also calls on the European Commission to mount a co-ordinated campaign to force tobacco companies in the EU to pay compensation, as occurs in the United States, for damage to smokers' health.
There is also a call from the environment committee to halt EU subsidies to tobacco growers.
At the same time, the EU's policy of exporting poor-quality tobacco is condemned.
In a statement, Mrs Bernie Malone, the Labour MEP for Dublin, said that the proposal for an EU-wide ban on all forms of advertising had been stalled at European level by the British Tories since 1989. Credit should be given to the British Labour Party for reviving this issue in the Council of Ministers, she said.
An investigation into possible safety risks posed by the use of soft PVC in the manufacture of toys and items such as teething-rings is being carried out by the European Commission, the parliament was told.
Some member-states, particularly Denmark, have already removed three types of "teethers" made in China from sale.