The EU Commission has published a new plan encouraging member states to expand smoking bans in public areas. Here’s what the plan could mean for smoking laws in Germany.
After an EU Commission report published in June 2024 found that a high percentage of EU residents are still smokers, the Commission has published a plan to “extend smoke-free environments” in member countries, with the longer-term goal of creating a “smoke-free generation” by 2040.
The report found that Bulgaria is the EU member state where smoking remains the most popular, with 37 percent of residents still sparking up. Greece followed with 36 percent, while in Germany, Spain and Italy, 24 percent of the population smokes.
The new plan includes extending a smoking ban to outdoor areas such as children's playgrounds, swimming pools, zoos and public transport stops. Using new smoking products such as e-cigarettes would also be banned in these areas. However, the rules would not be legally binding. German authorities can decide if they want to impose any of the suggested bans and when.
Since 2007, state governments have been able to decide whether to impose smoking bans. Smokers in Bavaria, North-Rhine Westphalia and Saarland have to go outside to smoke, while those in bars in Berlin are often allowed to smoke inside. This is despite an official ban in Berlin which is rarely imposed. However, local authorities recently announced that the ban would be more actively enforced.
Germany’s SPD-Greens-FDP coalition government has now said it supports the restrictions laid out in the EU Commission plan. “It [...] makes sense to impose a general ban on smoking and vaping wherever children, young people and adult non-smokers have to spend time,” SPD politician and member of the health select committee Dirk Heidenblut told RND.
The opposing CDU - who are predicted to win the 2025 federal election - has taken a more conservative stance. "The EU has long been criticised for interfering in too many areas of life. Open-air smoking bans definitely belong in this category. Even if we put up no-smoking signs everywhere. We can't enforce that effectively, nor should we want to,” said CDU Minister for European Affairs in Hesse Manfred Pentz.
On the international stage, Germany still fares pretty badly when it comes to helping people kick the habit. Upon the publication of its ninth annual report on global tobacco consumption, the World Health Organisation (WHO) condemned the federal republic for being slow to implement preventative policies over the past 15 years.
Director for Health Promotion at the WHO Rüdiger Krech said that the current smoking policy in Germany is of “great concern”. Across the federal republic buying cigarettes and tobacco is still affordable. According to figures from the German Cigarette Association (DZV), the average cost of a packet of 20 cigarettes in 2024 is 8,70 euros.
In countries which have enforced stricter smoking bans and where tobacco is more expensive, far fewer residents are smokers. In Sweden, 8 percent of the population still smokes, and in the UK, 12,9 percent.
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