Belgium Caves in Over Grand Prix Tobacco Ads

The Belgian government was yesterday accused of selling out to the tobacco industry and Formula One promoters after it agreed to postpone tough anti-smoking legislation to regain the right to host an annual grand prix.

A complete ban on tobacco advertising was due to take effect this month and was set to prohibit all cigarette ads except those at shops selling cigarettes.

However, it emerged yesterday that the ban will not come into force until July 2005 following a vote in the parliament's lower house and a backroom deal at the weekend.

The move is a bitter blow for anti-smoking campaigners who had hailed it as one of the toughest laws in Europe - and a victory for the billionaire businessman and Formula One boss, Bernie Ecclestone.

Mr Ecclestone objected to the law, which was far tougher than EU-wide legislation due to take effect in two years. It would have banned advertising in the press, on posters and on the internet.

Mr Ecclestone argued this would unfairly outlaw road-side billboards and the car sponsorship which underpins much of his lucrative sport. He stripped Belgium of the right to hold its annual grand prix last year in response.

The move was a serious setback for French-speaking Wallonia in southern Belgium where the event is held. It was also a severe embarrassment for Belgium's liberal prime minister, Guy Verhofstadt, who was reelected earlier this year.

Mr Ecclestone was clear at the time what Belgium had to do to get back in his good books. "All that Belgium needs to do is follow the line of its nearest neighbour and adopt Germany's position," he said. There, tobacco ads will be permitted until 2006.

Wallonia officials confirmed yesterday Mr Ecclestone was taking the grand prix back to Belgium next year as a reward for the law being postponed. "I can confirm that we will have Formula One racing in Belgium again next season following an undertaking from Mr Ecclestone," Serge Kubla, Wallonia's minister for the economy, told the daily La Dernière Heure.

Anti-smoking campaigners said they were shocked. "It is a dismaying development to see the Belgian government cave in to Formula One and the tobacco industry," said Naj Dehlavi of UK-based anti-smoking group Ash. "It's extremely disappointing that a single-issue organisation can scupper such an important public health measure."

But officials denied it was a sell-out. "We have never given in to pressure from Mr Ecclestone," Philippe Monfils, one of the deputies supporting a delay told the Guardian.

"It's just that there are rules to follow in Formula One and the racing teams have contracts with tobacco manufacturers which cannot be broken without paying out large amounts of compensation."