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Brussels (pte022/28.07.2005/10:35) - Effective from 31st July, the European Union http://www.europa.eu.int/ ban on tobacco advertising will cover all 25 member states and prohibits advertisements in print media, radio and over the Internet.
The EU is also preparing to phase out subsidies to growers from next year.
The law also disallows the sponsorship of cross-border cultural and sporting events by tobacco companies. However advertising in cinemas, billboards and on ashtrays and umbrellas is still allowed.
Tobacco advertising on television has been banned in the EU for more than ten years.
Approximately 650,000 people die from smoking related diseases in the eurozone each year.
"Banning tobacco advertising is one of the most effective ways of reducing smoking," said health and consumer protection commissioner Markos Kyprianou.
"This directive will save lives and reduce the number of Europeans who suffer from smoking related illnesses," he said.
Tobacco sponsorship in Formula One Grand Prix will still be allowed. Races held inside the EU will be affected but those held in other countries will be allowed, even if they are broadcast in the EU.
Michael Mann, a spokesman for the EU's executive body, the European Commission, commented that the bloc was preparing to phase out subsidies to tobacco growers based on the size of their crops from 2006.
"The budget for tobacco subsidies is roughly a billion euros a year," he said.
"The link between production and subsidies is being broken so as of 2010 there will be no such thing as a tobacco production subsidy," he added.
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