Conference of the Parties (COP)

Bureau of the COP

The Bureau elected at COP4 (Punta del Este, Urugauy, 15–20 November 2010) met for the first time on 9–10 March 2011 in Geneva to confer on a wide range of topics, including the outcome of COP4, the activities of the Secretariat since COP4, and the

status of implementation of the workplan and budget 2010–2011.

It discussed and advised on further activities to be carried out prior to COP5, including the ongoing strengthening of international cooperation and mechanisms of assistance to Parties, the development of guidelines for the implementation of articles of the Convention, finalization of the negotiations on

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SStatus of the Convention

Number of Parties: 173 (as of 25 May 2011)New Party: Turkmenistan (13 May 2011)List of Parties: http://www.who.int/fctc/signatories_parties

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In this issue

Editorial ..................................................................................................................................... Page 1

Conference of the Parties (COP) .................................................................................................... Page 1

Working groups mandated by the COP ......................................................................................... Page 2

Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) on a Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products ................ Page 2

Implementation news ................................................................................................................... Page 3

Secretariat news ......................................................................................................................... Page 4

Observers .................................................................................................................................. Page 5

Upcoming events ......................................................................................................................... Page 6

Editorial

World No Tobacco Day 2011This year, the theme of World No Tobacco Day is the WHO FCTC. The event provides an excellent opportunity to share experiences and views on implementation of the Convention, and to promote the treaty and its impact on global health.

As the campaign for World No Tobacco Day highlights, the tobacco epidemic remains an enormous public health challenge, killing almost 6 million people each year around the world.

The WHO FCTC was developed in response to this epidemic, a global solution to a global problem. Since the entry into force of the Convention in 2005, strong progress has been made. The principal treaty bodies – the Conference of the Parties and the Convention Secretariat – are established and fully functional. Parties have adopted a package of treaty implementation guidelines and are finalizing the negotiations for the first protocol. They have also established the reporting system of the Convention, and are putting in place mechanisms of assistance to countries in need.

Nevertheless, more must be done for the treaty to reach its full potential, as the Parties themselves recognize. At the recent Conference of the Parties in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Parties urged all countries to ratify the treaty, to fully implement its provisions and to utilize the guidelines adopted by the Conference.

One important lesson from the Convention is that success depends on the continued commitment of all actors. We can each do our part to advance tobacco control by advocating for complete implementation of the treaty. World No Tobacco Day is a call to action – to governments, civil society, nongovernmental organizations and the public.

The WHO FCTC is the most powerful instrument available to reverse the tobacco epidemic. Let’s use it.

Dr Haik Nikogosian

Head, Convention Secretariat

For more information on World No Tobacco Day 2011, see http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/2011

NEWSLETTER, issue 9, May 2011

a protocol on illicit trade in tobacco products, and preparations for COP5.

The Bureau also agreed to hold three other meetings in the intersessional period, tentatively scheduled for October 2011, Spring 2012 and the eve of COP5 in 2012, and that the minutes of its meetings should be posted on the WHO FCTC web site.

First preparatory visit by the Secretariat to the Republic of Korea

On 18–21 April 2011, the Convention Secretariat paid a first preparatory visit to the Republic of Korea, the host country of COP5. The purpose of the visit was to discuss the host agreement for COP5, to share information with officials of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and to visit potential venues. A successful series of meetings and visits was conducted, with follow-up actions established.

Summary records of COP4 published

The summary records of COP4 have been published and are available on the WHO FCTC web site in the six official languages at http://apps.who.int/gb/fctc/

Working groups mandated by the COP

There are three working groups currently mandated by the COP – the working groups on Articles 9 and 10 and Articles 17 and 18 (whose mandates were extended by COP4), and the working group on Article 6 (established by COP4). Parties informed the Secretariat by the end of January 2011 of their intention to continue as members of each of the working groups or their intention to join them(for the list of membership see www.who.int/fctc/cop/working_groups/).

Working group on Articles 9 & 10

COP4 adopted partial guidelines for implementation of Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention (Regulation of the contents of tobacco products and Regulation of tobacco products disclosures) and further extended the mandate of the working group. The working group consists of 3 Key Facilitators and 42 Partners. The members of the working group were requested by the Key Facilitators, through the Secretariat, to submit responses to a questionnaire on their priorities for future work. A number of discussions have been held with the Key Facilitators, and a work plan was circulated to members of the group. The group will meet in January 2012, with the exact dates and venue yet to be determined.

Working group on economically sustainable alternatives to tobacco growing (in relation to Articles 17 and 18 of the Convention)

COP4 extended the mandate of the working group. To follow up on this decision, teleconferences were

organized by the Convention Secretariat with the Key Facilitators in February and April 2011 to facilitate continuation of the group’s work, including the scheduling of a third meeting that will take place in early 2012, with the exact dates and venue still to be determined. The working group consists of 5 Key Facilitators and 23 Partners .

Working group on Article 6

The working group on Article 6 (Price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco) was established by COP4. The group consists of 4 Key Facilitators and 52 Partners. The convening of a meeting of the working group is subject to the availability of extrabudgetary funds, as decided by the COP. However, in March 2011 a teleconference was held in which the Key Facilitators reviewed the method, possible funding and timeline of the group’s work. This has been followed by further exchanges of information facilitated by the Secretariat.

Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) on a Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products

The final session of the INB

COP4 decided (in decision FCTC/COP4(11)) to extend the mandate of the INB to a final session, to be held for one week early in 2012 (dates now confirmed as 5–10 March 2012), for the purpose of finalizing the text of the draft protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products. The work will continue on the basis of the draft text contained in document FCTC/COP/4/5. The COP requested the INB to submit the text of the draft protocol for consideration by COP5.

Informal working group on the draft protocol

The COP also established an informal working group to work prior to the final session of the INB, consisting of representatives of 30 Parties (five Parties from each WHO region). The Bureau of the COP facilitated the nominations of regional representatives. Intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations with specific expertise in relevant areas that are accredited observers to the COP as well as States non-Parties will also be invited to the meetings of the working group. The meetings are scheduled to be held in Geneva on 4–8 July 2011, and in October 2011. Further information is available at http://www.who.int/fctc/inb/inb5/

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Implementation news

Reports of the Parties

Between 16 January and 15 May 2011 the Convention Secretariat received reports on implementation of the WHO FCTC from the following Parties: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ireland, Lebanon, Malta, Mongolia, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, and Togo. Of the 163 Parties due to have provided at least one report to the Convention Secretariat by 15 May 2011, 144 (88%) had done so. By 15 May 2011, 69 Parties of the 144 had already provided two (two-year and five-year) implementation reports. Reports of the Parties are available at http://www.who.int/fctc/reporting/party_reports/

Changes in the reporting arrangements of the WHO FCTC

At its fourth session, in November 2010, the COP decided to update the existing cycle of submission of Parties’ implementation reports. The new standardized cycle will be synchronized with the biennial cycle of the regular sessions of the COP.

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Starting from 2012, Parties are expected to submit their implementation reports at regular two-year intervals and not later than six months before the next regular session of the COP.

In April 2011 the Secretariat informed Parties about the submission procedure and the timeline for submitting implementation reports in the 2012 reporting period (1 January – 30 April 2012). Details concerning reporting are available at http://www.who.int/fctc/reporting/

2011 update on global implementation of the WHO FCTC

The Convention Secretariat has produced a progress note on implementation of the WHO FCTC as of May 2011. The new report reviews progress in implementation of the Convention globally, with a particular focus on the progress observed between the first (two-year) and second (five-year) reports of Parties.

The progress note, along with all previous global progress reports, can be accessed at http://www.who.int/fctc/reporting/summary_analysis/

News from the Parties

COMOROS - Amended tobacco control act Read the full story at http://www.who.int/fctc/com/en/index.html

FIJI - Cabinet approves tobacco control decree Read the full story at http://www.who.int/fctc/fij/en/index.html

FRANCE - Health consequences of exposure to tobacco smoke acknowledged by the courtRead the full story at http://www.who.int/fctc/fran/en/index.html

HONDURAS - New tobacco control act adoptedRead the full story at http://www.who.int/fctc/hon/en/index.html

HUNGARY - Amendment to law protecting non-smokersRead the full story at http://www.who.int/fctc/HUN/en/index.html

MALTA - Pictorial warnings mandatory on tobacco packagingRead the full story at http://www.who.int/fctc/mal/en/index.html

NEPAL - New tobacco control bill approved Read the full story at http://www.who.int/fctc/Nep/en/index.html

NIGERIA - A national tobacco control bill was passed by the Nigerian SenateRead the full story at http://www.who.int/fctc/nig/en/index.html

UKRAINE - New requirements for pictorial warningsRead the full story at http://www.who.int/fctc/ukr/en/index.html

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Secretariat news

Needs assessments

Bhutan

A needs assessment exercise for implementation of the WHO FCTC was conducted jointly by the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Convention Secretariat from March to May 2011, including a mission by an international team to Bhutan from 28 March to 2 April. The report was officially launched on 14 May 2011 in Thimbu by the Honourable Minister of Health, Mr Zangley Dukpa, and the Head of the Convention Secretariat, Dr Haik Nikogosian.

Moldova

A mission in the Republic of Moldova in late March 2011, following the earlier needs assessment exercise, focused on assisting the country to develop a draft national strategy for tobacco control as required by Article 5.1 of the Convention.

WHO FCTC implementation database

The Convention Secretariat has developed a database containing and providing easy access to information communicated through the Parties’ implementation reports. This web-based database can be searched by individual Parties and by treaty articles and measures. The database can be accessed from the home page of the WHO FCTC web site (http://www.who.int/fctc) or directly at http://apps.who.int/fctc/reporting/database/

Database of available resources to assist in implementation of the WHO FCTC

The database of available resources to assist in implementation of the WHO FCTC is available at https://extranet.who.int/fctcresources/Parties can request access to the database by contacting the Secretariat at fctcresources@who.int

Resources to promote the implementation of Article 12 of the WHO FCTC and its guidelines

COP4 requested the Convention Secretariat to make available international, regional and national resources for tobacco-control education, communication, training and public awareness in relation to the guidelines for implementation of Article 12. The Convention Secretariat has developed the resource list in consultation with the Key Facilitators of the working group on Article 12 and published it on the WHO FCTC web site. The list is available at http://www.who.int/fctc/guidelines/article_12res/

Meetings

High Level Pacific Workshop on Tobacco Control

The Convention Secretariat participated in the workshop (Sydney, 31 March 2011) at the invitation of the Government of Australia, which organized the event. The participants affirmed that full and effective on-the-ground implementation of the WHO FCTC is a regional priority, and that it will be important, when requested by Parties, for the Convention Secretariat and other relevant partners to assist in conducting joint needs assessments in order to accelerate and overcome barriers to full implementation. The participants also reaffirmed that further technical cooperation among Parties and non-government partners could greatly assist tobacco-control efforts in the region and that effective tobacco control, implemented across the whole of government, must be a core priority in strategies for noncommunicable disease prevention and control. During the workshop, the Australian Government, jointly with the Cancer Council Australia and the National Heart Foundation of Australia, announced an extrabudgetary contribution of AUD 100 000 to the Convention Secretariat for WHO FCTC needs assessments in Pacific island countries. More information is available at http://www.who.int/fctc/australia2011/

First Global Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Noncommunicable Disease Control

The conference, which was jointly organized by WHO and the Russian Federation in Moscow on 28–29 April 2011, was held in the lead up to the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, scheduled for 19–20 September 2011.The Moscow Declaration, issued in the name of the participants in the meeting, stated the commitment of governments to strengthen action for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, including by: “Accelerating implementation by States Parties of the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and encouraging other countries to ratify the Convention”. Participants also made the commitment to strengthen international support for the full and effective implementation of the WHO FCTC. The Declaration and related information on the meeting are available at http://www.who.int/nmh/events/moscow_ncds_2011/

Meeting of nongovernmental organizations accredited as observers to the COP

The Convention Secretariat organized a meeting of nongovernmental organizations accredited as observers to the COP on 20 May 2011, to discuss and promote the role of nongovernmental

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Observers

Corporate Accountability International

Corporate Accountability International published a report documenting the tactics employed by the tobacco industry internationally to hamper tobacco-control efforts, ranging from hiding behind front groups to litigation and intimidation of national governments. The report can be accessed at http://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/sites/default/files/PMI_Alternative_Annual_Report_May2011.pdf. More information is available from Gigi Kellett, Director, Campaign Challenging Big Tobacco, Corporate Accountability International (gkellett@stopcorporateabuse.org).

Framework Convention Alliance

The Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) has stated that in 2011 it is focusing on ensuring that tobacco control is central to the outcome document that will be produced at the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, to be held in September 2011. Members of FCA participated in regional consultations held by WHO and other relevant meetings in the lead up to the High-level Meeting, contributing to the debate and the outcome documents of those meetings.

A summary version of a briefing paper – NCDs, tobacco control and the FCTC – was distributed at the WHO Global Forum and the First Global Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Noncommunicable Disease Control in Moscow in April. The full paper was also distributed prior to the World Health Assembly (16–24 May). Further details can be found at http://www.fctc.org

In March 2011, members of the FCA were involved in the creation of a Latin American coalition of civil society organizations that work together to reduce noncommunicable diseases in the region (for more information, see http://www.interamericanheart.org/?secc=clas&lang=eng&mod=inicio).

organizations and coordination in supporting implementation of the WHO FCTC in the period leading up to COP5 in 2012. Nine nongovernmental organizations participated and made valuable comments and proposals that are now being taken into account by the Secretariat in promoting implementation of the Convention.

New publications

2010 progress report

In line with decision FCTC/COP1(14) the Convention Secretariat is expected to provide an annual analysis of the progress being made internationally in implementation of the Convention. A summary version of the 2010 report, outlining the key findings, was submitted to COP4. The full report has since been published and is available, along with previous reports, at http://www.who.int/fctc/reporting/summary_analysis/

Implementation guidelines

The guidelines adopted by the COP aim to assist Parties in meeting their obligations under the Convention. COP2 and COP3 adopted guidelines for the implementation of Articles 5.3, 8, 11 and 13. A further two guidelines, on Articles 12 and 14, and partial guidelines on Articles 9 and 10, were adopted by COP4. A new publication, containing all of the guidelines adopted to date, has just been released and is now available at http://www.who.int/fctc/publications/

Web site re-launched

The Secretariat has restructured the WHO FCTC web site (http://www.who.int/fctc) in the six official languages, in order to improve its usefulness for Parties and other users and to be in line with the recent redesign of the WHO web site.

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Convention News - A publication of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC. Editorial office address: Convention Secretariat, WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, 20 Avenue Appia, CH 1211, Geneva 27. E-mail: conventionnews@who.int

© World Health Organization 2011. All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization can be obtained from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland (tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: bookorders@who.int). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications – whether for sale or for noncommercial distribution – should be addressed to WHO Press, at the above address (fax: +41 22 791 4806; e-mail: permissions@who.int).

All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.

Contact us

The principal e-mail address of the Convention Secretariat is: fctcsecretariat@who.int. All messages sent to this address will be directed to the relevant officers for follow up.For comments and submissions to the Newsletter: conventionnews@who.intFor specific functions, the Secretariat also operates other generic e-mail addresses which can be found at http://www.who.int/fctc/secretariat/cont/

Upcoming events

Informal working group on the draft protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products

4-8 July 2011 WHO HQ, Geneva First meeting

October 2011 WHO HQ, Geneva Second meeting(exact dates to be decided)

Regional workshops on the implementation of the WHO FCTC

October 2011 Cairo, Egypt For the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region(exact dates to be decided)

November 2011 Chisinau, Republic of Moldova For the WHO European Region(exact dates to be decided)

Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) on a Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products

5-10 March 2012 International Conference Centre Fifth session of the INB (CICG), Geneva

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