Electronic cigarettes have become a medicinal product under new proposals from the EU Commission which are being considered by MEPs

 Vote will be made on a proposed update of EU laws regarding various tobacco products, with the aim of discouraging young people from taking up smoking.

The UK has already said e-cigarettes will be licensed as medicine from 2016.

The current requirement for health warnings on packets is 30% minimum coverage on one side and 40% on the other.

The new packaging requirements would also apply to roll-your-own tobacco.

The legislation would allow member states the option of plain, non-branded packaging "in duly justified cases"

The Commission says packets must be big enough to ensure full visibility for the health warnings, so the recommendation is at least 20 cigarettes per pack.

 Fourteen EU states already have 20 as the minimum, four stipulate a minimum of 19, and in the UK and Italy the minimum is 10. It is argued that bigger, more expensive packets are less attractive to young smokers.

The commission says that sales of the tobacco-free devices have boomed worldwide since bans on smoking in public places were introduced.

The Commission says almost 700,000 Europeans die from smoking-related illnesses each year - equal to the population of Frankfurt or Palermo. The associated costs for healthcare in the EU are estimated to be at least 25.3bn euros (£20.6bn; $33.4bn) annually.

In 2009‐10, sales of tobacco products generated nearly £9bn ($14.6bn; 11bn euros) in taxes for the UK government, about 2% of all receipts from taxation, a government report said.

The proposals to restrict e-cigarettes are part of a range of measures being considered by the EU during the first reading of a new draft tobacco directive which could become law in 2014.

Other proposed EU tobacco restrictions include:

• Bigger health warnings in text and pictures on cigarette packs sold in the EU

• A ban on strong flavours such as menthol or vanilla which can mask the bitter tobacco taste

• Words like "light", "mild" and "low tar" that are deemed to be misleading would be banned

• A ban on chewing tobacco - called snus - although Sweden will have an exemption

• A ban on packs of 10 cigarettes and slim cigarette, mostly smoked by women

There has been intense lobbying from tobacco companies and e-cigarette manufacturers, who want the proposals watered down. Anti-smoking organisations have urged tougher regulation.

Supporters of the plan said that young people especially are being tricked into taking up smoking.

E-cigarettes run on a rechargeable battery and turn nicotine and other chemicals into an inhalable vapour.