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International issues

  • Last modified date:
    7 October 2008
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The UK is closely involved with international attempts to reduce tobacco consumption. Within the European Union, the UK is working to establish stronger European legislation on tobacco control, and on the wider international stage we have been participating in the World Health Organisation treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is an international treaty which has been developed under the auspices of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The FCTC covers a wide range of issues such introducing a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, controls on the labelling of products, education about the health effects of tobacco, tackling smuggling, protection of the public from the effects of secondhand smoke and measures to reduce the availability and promotion of tobacco to young people.

The UK ratified the FCTC in December 2004.  For further information on the FCTC see the link below to the World Health Organisation. As of May 2008, 152 countries have ratified the treaty which has been ratified by more countries and more quickly than any other treaty in the history of the UN. http://www.who.int/tobacco/framework/en/

The UK is a partner courntry on three of the FCTC articles – smokefree, regulation of ingredients and emissions and the labelling of tobacco products. The DH is also actively involved, in partnership with HMRC and EU neighbours in the international negotiating body developing a protocol on illicit trade in tobacco.

  • Much progress has been made on the FCTC since it came into force in 2004. At the second Conference of the Parties in July 2007, guidelines were agreed on protecting people from edxposure to second-hand smoke. These called for paties to adopt smokefree laws in all workplaces and enclosed public places.
  • Guidelines on the labelling of tobacco products have also been agreed which call for adoption of picture warnings. They also urgethe parties to consider the adoption of requirements for generic packaging of cigarettes.
  • Proposed guidelines on the advertising and promotion of tobacco products are to be presented to the next Conference of the Parties in November 2008. These will call for tougher controls on the internet promotion of tobacco products and on the display of cigarettes in shops
  • Considerable progress has been made on agreeing a framework for the protocol on illicit trade including agreement on the need for a rigorous international system for the tracking and tracing of tobacco products from point of manufacture to point of sale.
  • Work on developing guidelines on the regulation of tobacco ingredients and emissions is also progressing well. There is agreement on the need for an international global data repository to facilitate analysis and comparison of data. Work is also in train on how laboratory capacity can be more effectively shared.

European Directives

Much regulation of tobacco is carried out by the European Union. Member States are required to adopt the provisions of EU Directives. There are two separate EU Directives on tobacco: The EU Tobacco Pentation and Sale directive and the EU Advertising Directive.

EU Directive 2001/37/EC on the Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco Products

This Directive is aimed at improving public knowledge about the composition and health effects of tobacco products. It achieves this aim through:

  • establishing larger health warnings (30% of the front of the packet, 40% of the back)
  • banning 'misleading descriptors' such as 'light' and 'mild' which give the impression that one tobacco product is less harmful than another
  • laying down new regulations on the levels of tar (10mg), carbon monoxide (10mg) and nicotine (1mg) which a cigarette may yield, and requiring yields to be displayed on the packet
  • requiring manufacturers to provide more information on the ingredients used in tobacco products. Manufacturers and importers must submit a complete list of ingredients used in their products once a year to the Department of Health.

The Directive became EU law on 18th July 2001, and UK regulations to transpose the Directive entered into force on 31 December 2002.

EU Directive 2003/33/EC on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship

This Directive was published in June 2003.

The Directive prohibits advertising with a cross border effect  in the following media:

  • in the press and other printed publications;
  • in radio broadcasting;
  • in information society services; and
  • through tobacco related sponsorship events or activities taking place in several member states of otherwise having cross-border effects.

It  came into force on 31 July 2005. The Directive effectively prohibits tobacco sponsorship of sporting events including Formula One car racing and Motocross motorcycle racing.

World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day is an annual event sponsored by the World Health Organisation. The aim of the day is to spread information globally on the dangers of tobacco use.   The next World No Tobacco Day is on 31 May 2009.

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