PHA-Exchange> WHO FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL NOW SIGNED BY 100 COUNTRIES

[Claudio]

> WHO FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL NOW SIGNED BY 100 COUNTRIES
>
> Geneva - This week, with the signatures of Ecuador and The Republic of
> Congo, a total of 100 countries and the European Community have so far
> signed the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco
> Control (FCTC).
>
> "With their signatures, 100 governments which represent 4.5 billion people
> have underscored their intention to become a party to the Convention and
> thus protect their populations from tobacco-related diseases. I commend
> these countries, urge the remaining ones to sign and encourage all
> signatories who have not yet ratified the WHO Framework Convention on
> Tobacco Control to do so," said Dr LEE Jong-wook, WHO Director-General.
>
> The Convention was unanimously adopted by all WHO Member States just ten
> months ago. Three months remain before the end of the signature period.
> The WHO FCTC is deposited at the United Nations headquarters in New York,
> and is open for signature until 29 June 2004. Thereafter countries that
> have not signed may accede to the Convention. WHO reminds Ministers of
> Health and other stakeholders involved in tobacco control of the work that
> remains to be completed. The Convention will enter into force and become a
> legally binding document 90 days after the 40th ratification or equivalent
> instrument.
>
> "The WHO FCTC has surpassed the 100 signatories milestone. This is a
> significant achievement," said Dr Vera da Costa e Silva, WHO Director of
> the Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI). "Among these, nine countries have
> ratified, which means that more than one billion people have a strong
> commitment from their governments to act firmly on tobacco control as set
> out on the WHO FCTC."
>
> The tobacco epidemic is still expanding, especially in developing
> countries where, currently, seven out of every ten tobacco-related deaths
> occur. Tobacco use kills 4.9 million people each year, and it has been
> estimated to cause an annual global net loss of US$ 200 billion in
> health-care costs and lost productivity. At current rates, the total
> number of tobacco users is expected to rise to 1.7 billion by 2025 from
> 1.3 billion now.
>
> Signing before or on 29 June 2004 is beneficial for countries, as it means
> more time to move towards ratification and full national implementation of
> their obligations. The periods between signature, ratification and
> implementation give the country the time to lay the necessary foundation
> that will be needed during the implementation phase, once the Convention
> has entered into force.
>
> Countries that have not signed by 29 June 2004 can still become parties to
> the WHO FCTC at a later date by means of accession, which has the same
> legal effect as ratification, but does not require prior signature. Once
> the WHO FCTC enters into force, countries that are Parties to the
> Convention are obliged to implement its provisions.
>
> The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, negotiated under the
> auspices of WHO, is the first legal instrument designed to reduce
> tobacco-related deaths and disease around the world. The Convention has
> provisions that set forth international minimum standards on
> tobacco-related issues such as tobacco advertising, promotion and
> sponsorship, tax and price measures, packaging and labelling, illicit
> trade and protection from second-hand smoke. These provisions are designed
> to guide governments, which are free to legislate at higher thresholds if
> desired.
>
> Notes:
> The total number of signatories to date is 101, which includes 100 Member
> States and the EC. The EC has signed as a Regional Economic Integration
> Organization with competence in certain measures set forth in the WHO
> FCTC. The EC's signature is in addition to the signature of member
> countries, which have their own competence to sign the Convention
> independently.
>
> Member States signing the Convention indicate their intention to take
> steps to ratify it, and in the meantime, they should refrain in good faith
> from acts that would defeat the purpose and object of the Convention.
> Ratification is the formal expression by which a country consents to be
> bound by the provisions in the WHO FCTC when it enters into force. Once a
> country has signed there is no deadline for ratification. The nine
> countries that have ratified the WHO FCTC are Fiji, India, Malta,
> Mongolia, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Seychelles and Sri Lanka.
>
> The WHO FCTC will enter into force 90 days after the deposit of the 40th
> instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval, formal confirmation or
> accession. Once the WHO FCTC enters into force, countries that are Parties
> to the Treaty are bound by it and are expected to legislate according to
> its provisions.
>
> WHO will convene an Intergovernmental Working Group on the WHO FCTC from
> 21 to 25 June 2004, where all 192 Member States will be invited to attend
> and submit proposals to the first session of the Conference of the
> Parties, which will take place within a year following entry into force of
> the WHO FCTC.
>
> For further information please contact: Marta Seoane, Communications
> Officer, Tobacco Free Initiative, WHO, tel. +41 (0)22 791 2489, Mobile:
> +41 79 475 5551, E-mail: seoanem at who.int <mailto:seoanem at who.int>. To view
> the full list of signatures and ratifications, please visit the following
> internet site:
> http://www.who.int/tobacco/areas/framework/signing_ceremony/countrylist/en
>