Third Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on a Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products
The Third Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on a Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (INB3) was held from 28 June to 5 July 2009 at the International Conference Centre Geneve (CICG). The session was attended by representatives from 136 Parties to the Convention, thirteen States non-Parties, two intergovernmental and seven nongovernmental organizations accredited as observers to the Conference of the Parties.
The session carried out its work in Plenary and in two Committees: the Plenary dealt with Part I (Articles 2 and 3) and Parts VI to X (Articles 34 to 49) of the revised Chairperson's text while Committee A dealt with Part III (Articles 5 to 11) and Committee B with Part IV (Articles 12 to 19) and Part V (Articles 20 to 33). Committee A also established a working group on Article 7 Tracking and tracing.
In accordance with the rules of procedure, INB3 elected its officers to constitute the Bureau of the INB for a term of office starting from INB3 until COP4:
Chairman: Mr Ian Walton-George (European Community)
Vice-Chairmen: Dr Thomas Vinit (Papua New Guinea),
Mr Hassan Mohamed (Maldives),
Mrs Loretta Asiedu (Ghana),
Dr Easa Al Mansouri (United Arab Emirates),
Dr Justino Regalado Pineda (Mexico), Rapporteur
Similarly, Committee A and Committee B elected their respective officers as follows:
Committee A:
Chairman: Mr S. Shakerian (Islamic Republic of Iran)
Vice-Chairmen: Dr M.E. Anibueze (Nigeria),
Dr P. Vivili (Tonga)
Committee B:
Chairman: Mr M. Navarete (Chile)
Vice-Chairmen: Mrs I. Demuni de Silva (Sri Lanka),
Mr Oleg Salagai (Russian Federation)
INB3 had an intensive 8 days of work resulting in an agreed document: "Negotiating text for a protocol to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products". This document (FCTC/COP/INB-IT/5 Rev.1) forms the basis for further negotiations on a draft protocol and reflects the status of the discussion and consensus reached in the Plenary or Committees.
INB3 also adopted a decision (FCTC/COP/INB-IT/3(1)) on further work during the intersessional period leading to INB4 whereby it decided, in particular, to establish two drafting groups on:
(a) Articles 7, 5 and 6, then, time permitting, Articles 10 and 11; and
(b) Articles 12 and 31 through 33, then Articles 13, 14 and 30
In addition to the two drafting groups, INB3 also requested the Convention Secretariat to prepare a paper reflecting the options for the institutional and financial arrangements addressed in Parts VI and VII of the Negotiating text, and the financial implications of implementing those options, in consultation with Permanent Missions of Parties in Geneva.
The INB took note of the cost estimate for the intersessional work presented by the Convention Secretariat, and requested the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to reflect this work in the work plan of the Convention Secretariat.
Finally, INB3 decided to hold a fourth session of the INB in early 2010.