The European Commission stopped trade unions from commenting on its proposal to ban vaping in all public places. The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), the EU advisory body representing trade unions and other civil society, had planned to adopt an opinion on the proposal, but was instructed by the Commission to cancel it.
Documents obtained by Clearing the Air reveal that, soon after preparations for the opinion began, the Commission moved to to halt the work of the committee and prevent workers’ scrutiny on the proposal.
In an e-mail seen by Clearing the Air, a prominent trade union leader responsible for the committee opinion, said their views on the proposal were no longer needed by the Commission. In another exchange, the committee staff supporting the trade unions’ work wrote the intended timing for the proposal adoption (i.e. in early December) did not allow time for workers to put forward their views.
Needless to say, this December deadline was an unofficial and arbitrary target set by the Commission to wrap up the process as quickly as possible. The Commission didn’t hesitate to kill the opinion and shut workers down from the debate, showing its true regard for trade union voices.
Adding to the controversy is the fact that trade unions had previously provided their expertise on a similar proposal targeting smoking back in 2009. Mysteriously, the 2009 opinion has now disappeared from the website in what seems a bizarre cover up.
Clearing the Air also learned that attempts to get hold of the messages from the Commission to the EESC, which led to the opinion being cancelled, have been refused. The lack of transparency only fuels additional concerns with the proposal.
Indeed, the above adds to the long list of controversies surrounding the proposal and which led to the European Parliament rejecting it altogether last week. Regardless of tomorrow’s vote, it is increasingly clear the Commission’s efforts to sideline key stakeholders and push the proposal through without proper consultation or solid evidence, have undermined its legitimacy.
