European Union

In 2001, a directive of the European Parliament and Council concerning the use of health warnings on cigarette packages became law. European Commission (EC) member states were required to display text warnings that covered a minimum of 30% of the “front” and 40% of the “back” of packages (45% for member states with two official languages and 50% for member states with three official languages). The EC provided its member states with a series of 42 optional pictorial warnings. The terms “light” and “mild” were prohibited from appearing on packages. Tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide emission numbers were required to appear on the side of packages. These emission numbers were generated using the ISO machine smoking method.

A new Tobacco Product Directive (TPD) came into force May 20, 2016. The new TPD requires pictorial health warnings that cover the top 65% of the front and back of the package. Three different sets of 14 warnings will be rotated annually. “Slim” packages, as well as promotional and misleading descriptors such as “lite”, “natural” and “organic” are prohibited. Member states have the option to require plain standardised packaging.

Legislation and Regulations

European Union’s Legislation Library

Health Warning Reports, Publications & Presentations

European Union’s Health Warning Document Library

Library of Picture Warnings

2016 to Present**

Set 1

EU 2016 ETS baby - death, targets parents
ETS – Baby
European Union
2016
EU 2016 ETS child - harm, targets parents
ETS – Child
European Union
2016
EU 2016 ETS child - risk, targets parents
ETS – Child
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Health Effects eye - blindness
Health Effects – Eye
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Health Effects heart - heart attack, death
Health Effects – Heart
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Health Effects lung - lung cancer, surgery
Health Effects – Lung
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Health Effects lung - lung damage, blood
Health Effects – Lung
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Health Effects mouth - mouth and throat cancer, lived experience
Health Effects – Mouth
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Health Effects mouth - tooth and gum damage
Health Effects – Mouth
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Health Effects sex - fertility, clever, targets parents
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Health Effects sex - impotence, targets men
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Health Effects stroke - stroke, disability, lived experience
Health Effects – Stroke
European Union
2016
EU 2016 Quitting - targets parents
Quitting
European Union
2016

Set 2

EU 2016-Set 2-ETS baby - death, targets parents
ETS – Baby
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-ETS child - harm, targets parents
ETS – Child
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-ETS child - risk, targets parents
ETS – Child
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Health Effects eye - blindness, symbolic
Health Effects – Eye
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Health Effects heart - heart attack
Health Effects – Heart
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Health Effects lung - lung cancer, lived experience
Health Effects – Lung
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Health Effects lung - lung damage, wound
Health Effects – Lung
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Health Effects mouth - mouth and throat cancer, gross
Health Effects – Mouth
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Health Effects mouth - tooth and gum damage
Health Effects – Mouth
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Health Effects sex - fertility, targets parents
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Health Effects sex - impotence, targets men
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Health Effects stroke - stroke, disability, fear
Health Effects – Stroke
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 2-Quitting - targets parents
Quitting
European Union
2016

Set 3

EU 2016-Set 3-ETS baby - hospitalization, targets parents
ETS – Baby
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-ETS child - risk, targets parents
ETS – Child
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-ETS general - harm, family
ETS – General
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Health Effects eye - blindness
Health Effects – Eye
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Health Effects heart - heart attack
Health Effects – Heart
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Health Effects lung - lung cancer, scar
Health Effects – Lung
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Health Effects lung - lung damage
Health Effects – Lung
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Health Effects mouth - tongue, gum, cancer, gross
Health Effects – Mouth
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Health Effects mouth - tooth and gum damage
Health Effects – Mouth
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Health Effects sex - fertility
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Health Effects sex - impotence, symbolic
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Health Effects stroke - stroke, disability, lived experience
Health Effects – Stroke
European Union
2016
EU 2016-Set 3-Quitting - targets parents, grave
Quitting
European Union
2016

2004 to 2016**

EU 2004 Addiction - clever
Addiction
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Addiction - lived experience, clever
Addiction
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Addiction - lived experience
Addiction
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Consituents - diseased organ, benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide
Chemicals
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Consituents - internal image, benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide
Chemicals
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Consituents - lived experience, benzene, nitrosamines, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide
Chemicals
European Union
2004
EU 2004 ETS baby - internal image of baby, targets pregnant women 1
ETS – Baby
European Union
2004
EU 2004 ETS baby - lived experience, baby, targets pregnant women
ETS – Baby
European Union
2004
EU 2004 ETS baby - targets pregnant women
ETS – Baby
European Union
2004
EU 2004 ETS children - lived experience, children 1
ETS – Child
European Union
2004
EU 2004 ETS children - lived experience, children 2
ETS – Child
European Union
2004
EU 2004 ETS children - lived experience, children
ETS – Child
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects arteries - lived experience, clogged arteries, heart attack, stroke, graphic
Health Effects – Arteries
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects arteries - lived experience, clogged arteries, heart attack, stroke
Health Effects – Arteries
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects death - average loss of years, plain warning
Health Effects – Death
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects death - diseased organ, gross
Health Effects – Death
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects death - internal image
Health Effects – Death
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects death - lived experience, morgue, die younger
Health Effects – Death
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects death - lived experience, toe tag, die younger
Health Effects – Death
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects death - lived experience
Health Effects – Death
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects lung - diseased organ, lung cancer, gross
Health Effects – Lung
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects lung - internal image, lung cancer
Health Effects – Lung
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects lung - lived experience, lung cancer
Health Effects – Lung
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects sex - impotence, clever
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects sex - internal image, impotence
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects sex - lived experience, impotence
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects sex - lived experience, infertility
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects sex - sperm image, infertility
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects sex -bio image, damage sperm and decrease fertility
Health Effects – Sex
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects stroke - statistic, plain warning
Health Effects – Stroke
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects wrinkles - clever
Health Effects – Wrinkles
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects wrinkles - image, wrinkles
Health Effects – Wrinkles
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Health Effects wrinkles - lived experience, wrinkles
Health Effects – Wrinkles
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Quitting - addiction, efficacy
Quitting
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Quitting - efficacy 1
Quitting
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Quitting - efficacy 2
Quitting
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Quitting - health benefits, coronary heart disease, plain warning
Quitting
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Quitting - image, efficacy
Quitting
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Quitting - lived experience, efficacy
Quitting
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Quitting - lived experience, health benefits, heart and lung disease
Quitting
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Quitting - statistics, efficacy
Quitting
European Union
2004
EU 2004 Quitting - stickman image, health benefits, heart and lung disease
Quitting
European Union
2004

** The images contained in this gallery are subject to EU copyright laws. Any duplication, reproduction, or use without the express consent of said party is prohibited. Countries should be contacted individually for usage of images.