"Ministers today hit the tobacco industry where it hurts," said EU Health Commissioner David Byrne. "In the EU alone, Big Tobacco needs to recruit 500,000 new smokers each year to replace the ones who die prematurely due to smoking-related diseases. The measures we agreed today will make it more difficult for them to do that."

The tobacco restrictions are an extension of an existing ban on television advertising. Exempt from the new ban are posters, billboards, cinemas, and indirect advertising, such as cigarette logos on clothing.

The ban, which was previously endorsed by the European Parliament, is expected to be in force by 2005.

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