European Cigar Manufacturers Association

Last week, the European Parliament rejected a resolution that would have supported a smoking ban in outdoor spaces. The proposal was rushed through last September by the outgoing European Commission without an impact assessment. ECMA pointed out that the proposal contradicted the spirit of the Mission letters communicated on the very same day, namely that “proposals must be evidence-based”. As Dr. Peter Liese, the health policy spokesperson for the largest group in the European Parliament (EPP Group-Christian Democrats) stated:  “The Commission surely does not want its recommendations to be completely ignored […] and should only call for bans that are truly justified”. ECMA believes that regulators should indeed approach public #smoking in a balanced and proportionate way, based on sound scientific #evidence, whilst it is the role of #consumers to be considerate when smoking in public places.

Last week I had the pleasure to attend the annual meeting of the Cigar Association of America in Palm Beach. Being there during such a pivotal election was unforgettable. It was also great to reconnect with Scott Pearce, the new CAA President, and be reminded that #cigars are not simply agricultural products supporting communities in rural areas domestically and in cigar producing countries but also #enjoyment products building long lasting bonds. Directly hearing from Congressman Tom Cole (R - Oklahoma) and Congressman Dan Meuser (R-Pennsylvania) on what the cigar industry should expect under a new Trump administration was also a true privilege. What seems to be the buzzword in the #EU - #competitiveness - seems also to be the mantra of the upcoming #US administration. From cutting redcap to protecting small industry players from regulations that only large companies are able to comply with, there is now a momentum for decision-makers on both sides of Atlantic to focus on regulation that will truly yield population-based benefits.

This week, ECMA is participating in the Cigar Association of America's annual meeting in Florida. This will be the occasion to address key topics on both sides of the Atlantic undergoing democratic transitions. Charlie Minato, from halfwheel, has put down some thoughts on what Donald Trump's 2024 victory would mean for the cigar world in the United States. https://lnkd.in/efGB7sVc

ECMA is actively recruiting a Senior Manager of Cigar Affairs, directly reporting to the Director General. Interested? Then look into the job offer below and apply before 14 November 2024. https://lnkd.in/eZf8GHYK #jobfairy #cigars #tobacco #EU #publicaffairs

Suffering from autumn blues? Don't forget to read the latest CIGAR JOURNAL featuring our Director General Paul Varakas on - Headwinds: informing you about upcoming regulation in Europe where you can be active; - Cigars: entitled to legal exemptions; and - The new reality of the cigar sector following the entry into force of EU Track & Trace system. For French readers, L'Amateur de cigare features a portray of Paul Varakas as one of the 30 most influential individuals in the #cigar world. #EU #cigars #tobacco #press

What a week! From Brussels to Dortmund via Strasbourg. The European Parliament was back in full swing last week with the first plenary session of ‘la rentrée’. Highlights included the announcement of the Commissioners-designates, the presentation of the #Draghi report and meeting new faces in the corridors to discuss upcoming #EU legislation. This new legislature is definitely set for a highly productive mandate! While the EU bubble was busy discussing the announcement of the Commissioners-designates and their mission letters, I travelled to Dortmund to attend the 2024 InterTabac - InterSupply. In addition to meeting with several EU manufacturers, I also had the chance to catch up with colleagues from across the Atlantic and even celebrate with Joshua Habursky from the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) for their 2024 CIGAR JOURNAL Trophy Ambassador award. I also had the incredible honour of making L'Amateur de cigare list of top 30 most important persons in the cigar world, recognising the advocacy efforts of the European Cigar Manufacturers Association. This week won't be any duller with the combined ECMA Board and General Assembly as well as my last General Assembly as President of the Society of European Affairs Professionals - more on that later!

This week, members of the European Cigar Manufacturers Association gathered in Brussels for their annual General Assembly. From visiting the European Parliament to meeting with #EU decision-makers, this was the occasion to jointly take stock of the results of the EU elections as well as the ongoing formation of the new European Commission. Congratulations as well to the re-elected Board members: Beat Hauenstein for Oettinger Davidoff AG Frederik Vandermarliere for Vandermarliere Cigar Family   Fernando Dominguez for Tabacalera Together, we continue upholding a European #cultural #heritage and the need to differentiate cigars/cigarillos as niche traditional products from regulation applying to mass consumed #tobacco products.

Ecuadorian wrapper tobacco leaf is one of the most appreciated in the industry worldwide. Today we visited several Belgian factories that use Ecuadorian leaf and saw where it is packaged, sealed and distributed around the world. We thank European Cigar Manufacturers Association, Frederik Vandermarliere, and Paul Varakas for their warm welcome.

Congratulations to the CIGAR JOURNAL and InterTabac - InterSupply for a wonderful ceremony in Dortmund. So wonderful to see so many cigar personalities gathering in one place. Congratulations as well to the ECMA members who won a Cigar Trophy Award - namely: Tabacalera for Best Cigar and Best Brand Cuba 🇨🇺 Oettinger Davidoff AG for Best Value Honduras 🇭🇳 Oliva Cigar Company & Paul Montag for Outstanding Art Maya Selva for Lifetime achievement Congratulations as well to our 🇺🇲 sister organisation - Premium Cigar Association (PCA) for their Ambassador award! https://lnkd.in/e97YF3Ye

The European Commission proposed today to revise the non-legally binding Council Recommendation on smoke free environments to extend the smoking bans to outdoor areas - such as terraces of bars, cafés and restaurants.   However, you don’t consume cigars and cigarillos for a quick fix: #cigars and #cigarillos are niche and culturally significant enjoyment products that can require up to an hour's worth of smoking time. Dedicated #smoking places for these legal products predominantly consumed on an occasional basis by adult connoisseurs are thus necessary.   It is also important to ensure there are still outdoor areas where people can smoke in the open air, rather than inside their homes.   We urge regulators not to lump in cigars and cigarillos with other #tobacco and #nicotine products that pose higher youth and daily usage concerns. https://lnkd.in/edNDh7gh