Portuguese lawmakers approved the transposition of the European Union tobacco directive into national law on November 28. The parliamentary working group fast-tracked the legislation to avoid EU non-compliance penalties, stripping the bill of controversial domestic bans on outdoor smoking near schools and petrol stations to secure cross-party agreement.
Lawmakers Prioritize EU Compliance Over Local Restrictions
Parliamentary health committee member Maria Antónia Almeida Santos confirmed the urgency of the vote. “What we voted on was simply the transposition of the European Union directive, because that’s what was urgently needed. Portugal had deadlines and the deadline had passed,” Santos stated.
By focusing solely on the EU directive, the working group ensured the bill would pass before the scheduled dissolution of parliament in mid-January. The political crisis, sparked by the resignation of Prime Minister António Costa, had threatened to stall the legislation entirely.
Heated Tobacco Equalized with Traditional Cigarettes
The approved text equalizes regulations for heated tobacco and electronic cigarettes with traditional tobacco. However, broader health promotion measures and stricter sales restrictions—originally proposed in the government’s September draft—have been deferred.
The original bill sought to ban smoking near schools and hospitals and restrict vending machine sales. While those measures failed to gain consensus, the simplified EU transposition will proceed to a final parliamentary vote.
