Date: 2022-06-30Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 6/2022 of 4 February 2022 amending Annex II (Technical regulations, standards, testing and certification) to the EEA Agreement [2022/1054]
Executive Summary:
EEA Joint Committee Decision No. 6/2022 amends Annex II to the EEA Agreement to incorporate Directive 2014/40/EU and Delegated Directive 2014/109/EU regarding tobacco products. It repeals Directive 2001/37/EC and includes adaptations for EFTA states and specific provisions for Norway concerning tobacco for oral use. The decision enters into force the day after the last notification under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Amendment of Annex II:**
* Directive 2001/37/EC is replaced by Directive 2014/40/EU and Commission Delegated Directive 2014/109/EU in Chapter XXV of Annex II to the EEA Agreement.
* **Adaptations for EFTA States:**
* Deadlines for implementation in Article 5(1), Article 15(13), Article 16(3), and Article 30 are adjusted to specified periods after the entry into force of this Decision.
* The EFTA Surveillance Authority is responsible for collecting fees charged by the Commission from manufacturers and importers in the EFTA States.
* **Specific Provisions for Norway:**
* Norway may allow an alternative health warning on tobacco for oral use, referencing risks to the foetus and stillbirth.
* The prohibition in Article 17 does not apply to the placing on the market in Norway of tobacco for oral use.
* Norway must ban the export of tobacco for oral use to all Contracting Parties to the Agreement, except Sweden.
* **Authentic Texts:**
* The texts of Directives 2014/40/EU and 2014/109/EU in Icelandic and Norwegian languages will be published in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal and are authentic.
Impact Analysis:
* **EFTA States (excluding Norway):**
* *Impact:* Manufacturers and importers of tobacco products in EFTA states must comply with the updated regulations.
* *Action Required:* Ensure compliance with Directive 2014/40/EU and Delegated Directive 2014/109/EU within the adjusted deadlines. The EFTA Surveillance Authority will collect any fees charged by the Commission.
* **Norway:**
* *Impact:* Specific regulations apply regarding tobacco for oral use, including alternative health warnings and export restrictions.
* *Action Required:* Implement the alternative health warning for tobacco for oral use if desired, ban export of this product (except to Sweden), and comply with all other provisions of Directive 2014/40/EU and Delegated Directive 2014/109/EU within the adjusted deadlines.
* **EEA Joint Committee:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for the overall decision-making and implementation of the EEA Agreement.
* *Action Required:* Ensure the Decision is published in the EEA Section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European Union.
Key Entities Referenced
EEA Joint Committee: A committee responsible for decisions related to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA).
EEA Agreement: The Agreement on the European Economic Area.
Directive 2014/40/EU: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco and related products.
Directive 2001/37/EC: Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products.
Commission Delegated Directive 2014/109/EU: Commission Delegated Directive amending Annex II to Directive 2014/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the library of picture warnings to be used on tobacco products.
Norway: A country within the European Economic Area (EEA) with specific adaptations regarding tobacco for oral use (snus).
EFTA States: European Free Trade Association States referenced in the context of the EEA agreement.
Sweden: A country within the European Union, and an exception to Norway's ban on exporting oral tobacco products.
L 175/12 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.6.2022
DECISION OF THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE No 6/2022
of 4 February 2022
amending Annex II (Technical regulations, standards, testing and certification) to the EEA Agreement
[2022/1054]
THE EEA JOINT COMMITTEE,
Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (‘the EEA Agreement’), and in particular Article 98
thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Directive 2014/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014on the approximation of the
laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and
sale of tobacco and related products and repealing Directive 2001/37/EC(1), as corrected by OJ L 150, 17.6.2015, p.
24, is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.
(2) Commission Delegated Directive 2014/109/EU of 10 October 2014amending Annex II to Directive 2014/40/EU of
the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the library of picture warnings to be used on tobacco
products(2)is to be incorporated into the EEA Agreement.
(3) Directive 2014/40/EU repeals Directive 2001/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council(3), which is
incorporated into the EEA Agreement and which is consequently to be repealed under the EEA Agreement.
(4) Norway should maintain its adaptation to Directive 2001/37/EC with regard to tobacco for oral use as defined in
Article 2, point 8, of Directive 2014/40/EU (‘tobacco for oral use’).
(5) Given the adaptation with regard to tobacco for oral use and on the basis of specific national circumstances
supported by statistics regarding the health risks related to the use and use patterns of tobacco for oral use, Norway
should be free to allow the alternative additional health warning for tobacco for oral use as indicated in this Decision.
(6) Annex II to the EEA Agreement should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The text of point 3 (Directive 2001/37/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council) of Chapter XXV of Annex II to
the EEA Agreement is replaced by the following:
‘32014 L 0040: Directive 2014/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on the
approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture,
presentation and sale of tobacco and related products and repealing Directive 2001/37/EC (OJ L 127, 29.4.2014, p. 1), as
corrected by OJ L 150, 17.6.2015, p. 24, as amended by:
— 32014 L 0109: Commission Delegated Directive 2014/109/EU of 10 October 2014(OJ L 360, 17.12.2014, p. 22).
(1) OJ L 127, 29.4.2014, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 360, 17.12.2014, p. 22.
(3) OJ L 194, 18.7.2001, p. 26.30.6.2022 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 175/13
The provisions of the Directive shall, for the purposes of this Agreement, be read with the following adaptations:
(a) In the second subparagraph of Article 5(1), as regards the EFTA States, the words “by 20 November 2016” shall read “at
the latest six months after the date of entry into force of Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 6/2022 of 4 February
2022”.
(b) The following subparagraph shall be added to Article 6(4) and Article 7(13):
“In cases concerning manufacturers and importers in the EFTA States, the EFTA Surveillance Authority shall collect any
fees charged by the Commission.”.
(c) With regard to Norway, the following subparagraph shall be added to Article 12(1):
“Taking into account the specific national circumstances supported by statistics regarding the health risks related to the
use and use patterns of tobacco for oral use, tobacco for oral use placed on the market in Norway may carry the
following alternative health warning:
“This tobacco product increases the risk of harm to the foetus and stillbirth” ”.
(d) In Article 15(13), as regards the EFTA States, the words “20 May 2019” shall read “sixteen months after the date of
entry into force of Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 6/2022 of 4 February 2022”.
(e) In Article 16(3), as regards the EFTA States, the words “20 May 2019” shall read “sixteen months after the date of entry
into force of Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 6/2022 of 4 February 2022”.
(f) The prohibition in Article 17 shall not apply to the placing on the market in Norway of the product defined in
Article 2, point (8). Norway shall ban export of the product defined in Article 2, point (8), to all Contracting Parties to
this Agreement, with the exception of Sweden.
(g) In Article 30, as regards the EFTA States, the words “20 May 2017” shall read “one year after the date of entry into force
of Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 6/2022 of 4 February 2022”.
In Article 30, points (a) and (c), as regards the EFTA States, the words “20 May 2016” shall read “the date of entry into
force Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 6/2022 of 4 February 2022”.
In Article 30, point (b), as regards the EFTA States, the words “20 November 2016” shall read “six months after the date
of entry into force of Decision of the EEA Joint Committee No 6/2022 of 4 February 2022”.’
Article 2
The texts of Directive 2014/40/EU, as corrected by OJ L 150, 17.6.2015, p. 24, and Delegated Directive 2014/109/EU in
the Icelandic and Norwegian languages, to be published in the EEA Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union,
shall be authentic.
Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the day following the last notification under Article 103(1) of the EEA Agreement*.
Article 4
This Decision shall be published in the EEA Section of, and in the EEA Supplement to, the Official Journal of the European
Union.
(*) Constitutional requirements indicated.L 175/14 EN Official Journal of the European Union 30.6.2022
Done at Brussels, 4 February 2022.
For the EEA Joint Committee
The President
Nicolas VON LINGEN