Jim, Fully agree. The patio area of my bar is an integral part of the premises and I believe my patrons deserve / demand a comfortable environment there as well as the enclosed areas. I've chosen electric ones with a movement sensor so they only work when someone is near - and the occasional frantic arm waving to re-activate them means the smokers get a little exercise ......

TW, Southampton, UK

What's the big deal? We got rid of CFC's because they damaged the environment and the scientists came up with an alternative. All this ban means is that some clever academics will be finding new ways to produce patio heaters that don't give off c02. In fact I know of one university in the North East that is looking into this already. So you can all stop your scaremongering and whingeing about the EU!

jf, newcastle, uk

What a good idea. Perhaps we should also ban indoor heating at the same time, on climate grounds, in our pubs, homes and offices. Starting with the EU headquarters, the homes of MEP's and the offices of the Energy Savings Trust, as an example to the rest of us. They can all "just wrap up warm instead" can't they?

jim parsons, lincoln,

I suspect that the EU and the political parties "THINK" they are going to get away with making the general public make the sacrifices while big business and profiteers are allowed to destroy the globe unchecked while the EU sits quietly on it's hands powerless to do anything about it. This patio heater nonsense is as effective as focusing on rearranging the furniture on the Titannic after the ship hit the iceberg. The EU is dangerous. It is a mechanism of "control" and should not be joined.

Nigel Bullard, Los Angeles , California, USA

Can we not just have a reforendum on the EU and pull out of teh dam thing, we all know that given the choice the british public would vote no so why dont we get it over with?

Our goverment gives more and mroe powers away to unelected forigners every day.

MR Jones, Liverpool,

I think Brussels must be afraid of the competition for producing 'Hot Air'?

Bry Barnes, Somerset, Uk

Let me guess, this will be another EU law that only thesoft british will follow, we, again, will only reap the negative effects of Europe. It was initated for peaceful trading, not banning patio heaters

Gloria, Taunton,

What the heck does it matter how much heat they exude, or how much people smoke? Environmentalism has become an excuse for the most petty, judgemental attitude, towards how others lead their lives. Do-gooders, using some vert dodgy science to push their 'holier than thou' mentality. They talk as if the 'science' of global warming is 'done and dusted' - but it isn't, and science doesn't work like that! It is a set of theories that has to be proved, tested, disputed, and refined - not a mantra to be chanted at people. Climate change is now like a very unpleasant religion, and I am happy to be a climate change atheist!

chris, ireland,

Good, I hate the things.

Alan, Edinburgh,

Surely they would be better advised to sort out the corruption and nepotism that is clearly rife in Brussels and the EU parliament. But that of course would limit allowances and other benefits etc.,
But not to worry, the Auditors will just continue to refuse to sign off the accounts and that i all that will happen.
This may be called "democracy" but it is certainly not "honesty"

M. Cawdery, Portadown, UK

Christ on a bike!!!

How much CO2 do the clowns in Brussels spew out coming up with these genius ideas?? And can they please stop!

Kevin Browne, Reading, Berkshire, ENGLAND

Yes, I hope they are banned. The whole idea of an outdoor heater is nonsense. Everyone knows that heat rises, so most of the heat from these things is obviously going to be lost straight up into the air.

Anyway, why on earth anyone would enjoy sitting or standing around outdoors other than in warm weather is beyond me. As for pub smokers, they can either give up or put on warmer clothing.

Barry, Wallington, UK

This new European regulation will be void under the European Community Treaty because it clearly violates the principle of Proportion that all European acts must respect in pursuit of their aims (the aim being, in this specific case, tackling climate change).

Marco, Venice,

The solution is to lift the smoking ban in pubs...then there would be no need for patio heaters... we would smoke more and live a shorter life therefore we would produce even less CO2 over our life times!

Baz, Shropshire, UK

What arrant nonsense. Where I live in Southern Spain virtually every bar has them on their terraces during the winter months. If this latest bit of Eurotrash were to proceed there would be riots here and I'm not kiddin.

Richard, Malaga, Spain

A ridiculous example of a nanny state. Can they get off their asses on more relevant issues - or are those too tricky for them and this is an easy target for them to be seen to doing somthing 'green' and trendy?

Nick, Malta,

Why doesn't the EU ban internal graft and corruption as this is the organisation who have not had their accounts signed off for years and who regularly fire whistle blowers who are trying to bring a modicum of honesty into the organisation.

George, Glasgow, UK

Oh dear, the Law of Unintended Consequences" strikes again. Banning smoking in Pubs leads to people wanting to sit outside which leads to a proliferation of patio heaters in our cold climate. Obvious, really.

al, weybridge, UQ

Hang on...
The article states that a British MEP is proposing a vote, how is this "The EU dictating what we can do"?
Sounds like democracy to me.
More like an opportunity to bash those "crazy British" for their mad , communist-style ways.

Lionel Saph, Southampton, UK

This is typical of the approach to pollution and global warming - go for a visible target, however minimal its impact, rather than a more serious polluter so that people can see that something is being done even though it's impact is negligable.

Richard, Manchester,

How much CO2 is emitted by the fags the patio heated smokers smoke?

Perhaps we need blue sky thinking. If all the smokers moved to Spain then we'd not need patio heaters. There would be more room in overcrowded Britain. Health care is cheaper there than here. Apart from the loss of Tax revenue everyone would win - and importantly the environment too. And if they all walked it would stop any transport related CO2 emissions. So long as the cost of shoe leather is not added to the equation. And the overweight ones might lose weight on the march.

Winners all round.

David B, Larkhall, UK

Does anyone in Brussels ever thoroughly think things through?

At least several times per week, I go out for drinks & meals with friends or colleagues. Because some of us smoke, we often gravitate to places that have outdoor patio heaters.

Mostly because I spend so much money going out, I never seem to save enough to consider buying a car or moving to a bigger place and am content to use public transit and live in my cramped, albeit low energy consuming, blocky little apartment.

I know!! With the money I save from not going out in town after they get rid of Evil Patio Heaters, I'll finally get my act together financially and save up for a car or my own larger semi-detached or detached home. Then I could drive everywhere instead of taking buses, and, living in a larger home, I could fit in a dishwashing machine, a bigger television and many other energy-guzzling consumer products I'd lived without until now.

Thanks Brussels! You've given me a great idea! Go green!

john, euroland,

Who gave Brussels the right to dictate to us what we can and cant do, have we already handed over our right to self govern? This is another reason why we should tell the EU to get stuffed.

Cromwell, Leeds, England

This has to be one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard! You Liberals need to get a clue!

Jim, La Quinta, USA/CA

Yes, and what no one realizes is that the EU Commission is circulating a confidential memo that would ban the Sun. It has been determined that it is burning a hole in Earth's atmosphere.

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California

Dear ,dear,me...the animals are in-charge of the 'ZOO"...It's moving rapidly west ward as well....Who are they , where did they come from, and can we use DHL to send them back..postage due...??....wooops...the insane are in-charge...not the animals...animals are to bright to do that.....

Mr Tim, san marcos, U S of A // Ca

Will it be Barbeques next!! What is going on! Madness.

John Chapple, Qingdao , China

The nutters have really got it in for the pubs these days.

Still the last two lines offered a little hope for some sanity.

"There was little enthusiasm for a ban at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs".

Fank H. , London,

Fantastic to see the EU tackling the pressing issues at the heart of modern society once again.
Honestly, can we start with education, crime, terrorism.... Patio heaters?!

Rachel , Singapore , Singapore

I doubt that all the patio heaters in the country would equal the CO2 output of one Chinese power station. This is just an excercise in pure spite and throwing their weight around by another bunch of nasty bureaucrats. Of course the British will accept the ruling and enforce it with enthusiasm, employing more ghastly jobsworths to inflict fines upon anyone who dares to disobey. This country is becoming an extremely unpleasant place to live.

Simon, Chatham, Kent

Today must be April 1

Patrick, Melbourne, Australia

perhaps peter sellwood & fiona hall should be made to stand outside for some long periods off time. This time of year at John o'Groats would be good for them.

michael uk, London,