Meeting of the working group on Articles 9 and 10
The working group on Articles 9 and 10 met for the seventh time from 24 to 26 January 2012 in Geneva at WHO headquarters, in order to continue its work in developing guidelines for implementation of Articles 9 and 10 as mandated by COP4 in decision FCTC/COP4(10). The aim of the meeting was to review the drafting proposals submitted by the three drafting groups formed for that purpose in 2011 and to determine the working group's recommendations to COP5.
The meeting was attended by 30 Parties and an observer nongovernmental organization, as well as four experts who provided technical information to the working group. The meeting was chaired in turns by the Key Facilitators (Brazil, Canada, EU and Turkey).
The outcome of the meeting includes proposed draft text for inclusion in the partial guidelines for implementation of Articles 9 and 10 on product characteristic regulation (cigarette ignition propensity), and on disclosure to the public and confidentiality in that regard. In addition, the working group agreed to include in its report to COP5 a background paper on addictiveness. These documents are expected to be uploaded onto EZcollab (WHO’s online platform) in all six official languages for Parties’ comments by mid May 2012. Parties will receive an e-mail inviting them to register to use EZcollab so that they can make their comments.