29 February 2012. This event in the European Parliament, Brussels, set the debate as to why plain, standardized packaging (in combination with large, mandatory pictorial warnings) is needed in the upcoming revision of the Tobacco Products Directive.

The event was co-hosted by Members of the European Parliament Karl-Heinz Florenz, Glenis Willmott, Carl Schlyter and Antonyia Parvanova.Speakers included:

• John Dalli, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy
• H.E. Dr Brendan Nelson, Australian Ambassador to the EU, Belgium and Luxembourg
• Xavier Bertrand, French Minister of Labour, Employment and Health
• Laurette Onkelinx, Belgian Minister of Public Health
• Céline Brassart, Legal Consultant, member of the Bar in New York
• David Hammond, Associate Professor in the School of Public Health & Health Systems at the University of Waterloo, Canada, and international expert on warning labels
• Luk Joossens, Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL) and international expert on the illicit trade in tobacco