Borg adopts Dalli’s Tobacco Products Directive

Newly-appointed European Commissioner for health and consumer affairs Tonio Borg held his first meetings in Brussels last Friday, and forwarded the controversial Tobacco Products Directive - prepared by his predecessor John Dalli - to the Commissioner's College for his new colleagues vetting and approval.

The Tobacco Products Directive which was put on hold last October just days before it was to be officially launched, following John Dalli's shock resignation, in the wake of an OLAF investigation into a report filed by Swedish 'snus' producer 'Swedish Match'.

The company alleged that Silvio Zammit, a Maltese entrepreneur had used his contacts with Dalli to try to gain financial advantages from the company in return for seeking to influence a possible future legislative proposal on tobacco products, in particular on the EU export ban on snus.

The OLAF report showed however that the European Commission's decision-making process and the position of the services concerned has not been affected at all by the matters investigated.

According to sources, the Tobacco Product Directive which Tonio Borg passed on for his new colleague's approval in College remained the same as prepared by his predecessor.

Borg, who could not be contacted yesterday, has officially taken office on Friday, and held a number of meetings with his staff.

MaltaToday is meanwhile reliably informed, that all members of John Dalli's staff in Brussels - except for one, Frank Zammit - have not left their posts, and will be staying on as staff belonging to Tonio Borg.

Sources said that this has irked Tonio Borg and many who worked within his previous secretariat at the foreign office in Valletta.