The packaging and ingredients of cigarettes and other tobacco products will be subject to tougher EU regulation. This is the gist of today's vote of the European Parliament on the new EU Directive on tobacco products. "This is good news for health protection. Europe is the region in the world with the highest percentage of smokers. 700,000 people are said to die from tobacco consumption in the EU every year. As representatives of the citizens, we need to protect health and young people", said Karl-Heinz Florenz MEP who is in charge of the Tobacco Products Directive for the EPP Group in the European Parliament.