COP10 and MOP3 brought together delegations from around the world and though we saw some big wins for tobacco control, there remain major gaps that need to be addressed. Throughout the last two weeks, civil society worked hard to move the agenda forward and work collaboratively with Parties to advance tobacco control.
PANAMA CITY, PANAMA – FEBRUARY 17, 2024 – The Global Alliance for Tobacco Control is proud to have led a diverse delegation of over 150 civil society advocates to the Tenth Conference of the Parties (COP10) for the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the Third Meeting of the Parties (MOP3) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (Protocol) in Panama City from 5 to 16 February, 2024, under the theme “United for Healthy Lives”. Over 1,000 delegates came together to make critical decisions to further strengthen and support global tobacco control measures and protect public health.
We would like to congratulate the Parties on achieving many positive decisions that will have an undeniable positive impact on health, the environment, human rights, and the economy. Of note, the following priorities were discussed and agreed upon:
- Article 2.1 on Forward Looking Measures for Tobacco Control: An Expert Group will be established to identify and explore innovative measures to expand tobacco control policies.
- Article 13 on Tobacco Advertising Sponsorship and Promotion: Adopted more robust and specific guidelines to address the marketing of tobacco and nicotine products online and geared towards youth.
- COP’s commitment to protect human rights and the environment from tobacco harm.
- Strong youth presence at the COP reminds us of the need to engage with them and protect their future free from the devastating effects of tobacco.
- The MOP adopted a roadmap and timeline to conduct crucial evidence based research on article 6.5 and 13.2 of the Protocol.
- Both the COP and the MOP adopted Panama Declarations emphasizing the need for effective implementation of the FCTC and the Protocol and highlighting the key decisions that were adopted.
Although progress was made over the last two weeks, “tobacco industry interference and other commercial vested interests remain a major obstacle for both WHO FCTC and Protocol implementation. Civil Society strongly commends the efforts to highlight art 5.3 WHO FCTC and Art. 4.2 during these negotiations, particularly through the AMRO and AFRO regional statements on maximizing transparency,” said Leslie Rae Ferat, Executive Director of GATC.
“There was a strong presence of civil society that worked collaboratively during the COP and MOP to advance tobacco control policies without industry interference. This is a solid foundation on which to build”, she added.
In terms of challenges facing the next COP and MOP, it’s crucial to focus on the bigger narrative, the increasingly noticeable industry presence, and to maintain efforts to ensure that all aspects of public health policy-making are free from the interference of the tobacco industry.
Looking ahead, the international community is poised to build on the progress made, ensuring a united front against industry interference and fostering collaborative public health initiatives. The upcoming COP11 and MOP4 will further underscore the collective dedication to strive for a healthier, tobacco-free future while eliminating illicit trade in tobacco products.
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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.
