The Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC) unites civil society in sharing its work plan and anticipated roadblocks to strengthen public health.
OTTAWA, CANADA – FEBRUARY 1, 2024 – Panama will host the Tenth Conference of the Parties (COP10) for the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) from February 5-10, 2024 under the theme “United for Healthy Lives”. The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the governing body of the FCTC. Additionally, the Third Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (MOP3) will also take place from February 12-15.
Entering into force in 2005, the FCTC, was developed to address the global concern about the spread of the tobacco epidemic and its consequences for public health and has since been signed by 183 Parties.
To unite civil society at the FCTC COPs, the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC) was founded as a global network of tobacco control and public health organizations who lead advocacy for a robust treaty. GATC’s COP10 priorities are:
- Adoption of the Specific Guidelines to Address Cross-Border Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) and the Depiction of Tobacco in the Entertainment Media.
- Forward-looking tobacco control measures (in relation to Article 2.1 of the WHO FCTC).
- Implementation Review Support Mechanism to assist Parties to comply with their obligations under the WHO FCTC.
At COP10, GATC will organize daily briefings for NGOs and actively work to counter tobacco industry interference attempts to obstruct or weaken the COP and MOP.
“COP10 provides the entire international tobacco control community with the opportunity to strengthen global best practices in tobacco control,” said Leslie Rae Ferat, Executive Director of GATC. “COP10 is where we will unite for healthy lives, defend tobacco control policies, and advance innovative measures that address the current challenges of the tobacco epidemic”, she adds.
Additional key issues that will be addressed at COP10 include:
- Implementation Review Support Mechanism to assist Parties to comply with their obligations under the WHO FCTC.
- Implementation of Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC regarding the regulation of tobacco product contents and disclosure of information on these products.
- Adoption of the Specific Guidelines to Address Cross-Border Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) and the Depiction of Tobacco in the Entertainment Media.
- Forward-looking tobacco control measures (in relation to Article 2.1 of the WHO FCTC).
- Implementation of Article 19 of the WHO FCTC in relation to the liability of the Tobacco Industry.
- The contribution of Human Rights to the tobacco control agenda.
A robust FCTC is key to strong implementation of global tobacco control polices which are proven to save lives.
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The Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC), formerly the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA), is a global network of civil society actors working towards a world free from the devastating health, social, economic, and environmental consequences of tobacco.
