The first session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
Day 6 - Mon, 13 February
Today Cambodia and Togo became full Contracting Parties to the WHO FCTC.
This is the start of the second and last week of the fist session of the COP. Both Committees convened at 10:00 hs.
Outcomes of the day:
COMMITTEE B
The Rules of Procedure of the COP are being finalized. A Chair’s draft of Rule 49 was released as a Conference Paper and an informal drafting group was convened to draft a consensus version of this rule, taking into account the interventions made by the Committee as a whole.
Work on the establishment of the Permanent Secretariat for the WHO FCTC has commenced.
COMMITTEE A
Work on the elaboration of guidelines for articles 8-13 is in its final stages.
TFI lunch time seminar:
Illicit trade in tobacco products and ramifications for the implementation of Article 15 and possible protocol
Speakers:
- Mr Austin RowanHead of Operations, Task Group Cigarettes European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF)Will cover an overview of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the work of the Task Group Cigarettes including references to the PMI Agreement and the growing problem of counterfeit cigarettes.
- Mr Andreas MausolfProject ManagerEUROPOLWill discusses the enforcement and implementation activities of curbing smuggling in EU region by strong collaboration with the EUROPOL collaborative centers.
- Mr Luk JoossensAdvocacy officerAssociation of European Cancer LeaguesWill present on organized smuggling - the way smugglers do business via exports- and the evidence on how to curb those original and well-known brands smuggled by organized smugglers.
- Dr Ayda YurekliSenior EconomistWorld Health Organization - Tobacco Free InitiativeWill discuss the economic impacts of smuggling to government revenues, the role of excise taxes and the impact of governments' commitment on curbing smuggling activities.