Preparing the ground for future International Protocol to WHO tobacco control convention.
Representatives of over 30 countries, the European Commission, international organisations and NGOs met in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 5 and 6 December, in a regional conference about illicit trade in tobacco products to prepare the ground for negotiations in early 2008 on a Protocol to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Protocol will deal specifically with combating illicit trade in tobacco and tobacco products. Alongside DG Health and Consumer Protection, OLAF contributed by sharing its experience of tackling the smuggling and counterfeiting of tobacco products, including making several presentations and moderating some sessions of the conference. The conference was organised by the Government of Uruguay, with the support of the World Health Organization, and was given very strong support by the President of Uruguay and the Minister of Health who gave the closing address.
Vice-President Siim Kallas commented: “A Protocol to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control can tackle the global problem of combating illicit trade in tobacco products in an efficient manner. Uruguay and the Americas have given a very positive example with this conference. Only through strong international cooperation can we succeed in this work. The Commission and European Member States have set a precedent with the conclusion of the highly effective anti-contraband agreement with Philip Morris Intl and with today's agreement with Japan Tobacco Intl. – and we remain open to negotiating such agreements with other producers. The European Commission with the help of OLAF will continue to keep up the momentum.”
The conference marked a further important step towards facilitating the investigative and operational activities of OLAF and its operational partners in the EU Member States in the joint fight against cigarette smuggling. Contraband and counterfeiting of tobacco products not only have a serious health and economic dimension, they also seriously impact on the budgets of the European Community and the Member States of the European Union.
The meeting in Montevideo was aimed at preparing the ground for a February 2008 meeting in Geneva where representatives of 151 countries, meeting under the auspices of the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in an intergovernmental negotiating body, will begin negotiations on an international Protocol aimed at eliminating the illicit tobacco trade. The European Commission (OLAF) has played a leading role in the original negotiation of Article 15 of the Framework Convention which deals with illicit trade, and will continue to support the negotiation of the Protocol which is aimed at establishing more detailed provisions to tackle the problem.
The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is the first global health treaty negotiated under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO). It was developed in response to the globalisation of the tobacco epidemic and not only covers health aspects but also addresses the international problem of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes. The Convention entered into force on 27 February 2005. Currently there are 151 parties to this Convention. For more information on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control please visit:
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