EC denies supporting discrimination against smokers

The European Commission has denied media reports that it had given employers the green light to discriminate against smokers.

The reports were prompted by an earlier statement from the Commissioner for Employment and Equal Opportunities that smokers were not covered by anti-discrimination law.

The controversy began when an Irish call centre, Dotcom Directories, published a job advert in May saying "smokers need not apply".

The company said at the time that smokers were anti-social and took too much sick leave and it did not want them on its payroll.

A British MEP took up the case and asked the EC if this breached the law on discrimination.

The Commissioner for Employment and Equal Opportunities later said it did not come under the scope of existing anti-discrimination law, but he has now been forced to issue a statement pointing out that this does not mean the commission supports discrimination against smokers.

The statement said people should be employed on the basis of their skills or qualifications.