SMOKE FREE PARTNERSHIP UPDATES

L'expert fiscal de la SFP, le Professeur Ángel López-Nicolás de l'Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena en Espagne, a publié cette Note Politique sur l'effet d'un projet non officiel de la Directive Révisée sur la Taxe sur le Tabac (Tobacco Tax Directive, TTD) de la Commission Européenne. La TTD révisée devait être lancée en décembre 2022, mais elle a été reportée indéfiniment. 

Sweden has implemented various decisive policy changes over time that has led to its slow smoking rate. A steady increase of taxes, age limit, ban on tobacco advertising, oversight mechanisms, early introduction of smoking-free public spaces and cost-free smoke cessation services have all proven successful to reach the current level. 

Smoking is one of the main causes of disease and/or preventable death in Belgium. For this reason, the federal government is stepping up the battle against smoking. 

SFP's tax expert Professor Ángel López-Nicolás from the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena in Spain published this Working Paper on the effect of an unofficial draft of the European Commission's revised Tobacco Tax Directive (TTD). The revised TTD was expected to launch in December 2022 but has been postponed indefinitely. 

SFP's Tax Expert Professor Ángel López-Nicolás from the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena in Spain published this Policy Brief on the effect of an unofficial draft of the European Commission's revised Tobacco Tax Directive (TTD). The revised TTD was expected to launch in December 2022 but has been postponed indefinitely. 

Announcing a new interactive data analytics platform to monitor FCTC treaty implementation

The Comité National Contre Le Tabagisme (CNCT), one of the Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) main partners, has published a White Paper on how to achieve a tobacco free generation, as well as a series of proposals for the French National Tobacco Control Programme 2023-2027. According to CNCT Director Yves Martinet, "the purpose of this White Paper is to clearly highlight the multiple contributions of civil society in the fight against tobacco, and the essential role it has to play in the achievement of a tobacco- free generation. With manufacturers constantly developing new nicotine- based products and seeking to renew their market, actions led by civil society appear to be more crucial than ever."

The sale of cigarettes is incredibly profitable for tobacco giants. In 2018, the six biggest tobacco producers made a tidy sum of 55 billion dollars in profit. That's more than Coca-Cola, Pepsico, Nestlé, Mondelez, Fedex, General Mills (including Häagen-Dazs), Starbucks, Heineken and Carlsberg put together.

The Comité National Contre Le Tabagisme (CNCT), one of the Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) main partners, was instrumental in the incorporation of a mention of Article 5.3 in the ethics guide that was disseminated to all members of the French National Assembly.

The second edition of the SFP Newsletter is out.

Learn about policy updates, SFP policy materials submitted to the Commission and read the news from our partners.

On 25 July, Trends published a long interview with Frederic De Wilde, CEO of Philip Morris Europe. He labels his company as a good example of a sector in transition. But is this credible? Other newspapers published an article on 23 June regarding PMI’s takeovers and investments in wellness and healthcare, of all things.    

31 May is World No Tobacco Day, organized by WHO, World Health Organization. This year, 16 Swedish anti-tobacco organizations are investing in showing the difference between genuine joy and belonging and the false image conveyed in advertising for new nicotine products. With the help of Tiktok stars and Silent Disco flashmobs are organized around Sweden to sound the alarm that more and more young people are starting with white snus and puff bars.

In February 2022, the advertising agency Mediatransports twice refused to allow the French public health group, ACT-Alliance contre le tabac to advertise in the Parisian subway and railway stations. The blocked advertisements are from ACT’s latest campaign “Change their future” which denounces the tobacco industry’s exploitation of young people.

SFP is joining its voice to 11 organisations to support the report developed by the European Parliament’s Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA); and call on Members of the European Parliament to adopt the report during the plenary vote of February with no weakening of its recommendations on cancer prevention.

The EHN published a paper in September 2021, focusing on Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) and their harmful impact on the cardiovascular system. Find out more and access the full paper here.

Since May 2020, a ban on the sale of menthol cigarettes and menthol roll-your-own tobacco has been in place across the EU. In a new briefing, Génération Sans Tabac and Comité National Contre le Tabagisme examine the status quo and tobacco industry's tactics for circumventing the ban, with a special focus on France and other Member States.

To prevent the growing uptake of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) by young people and reduce the products’ affordability, the Parliament of Ukraine increased taxes on tobacco products (Law 466-IX).

Plain packaging for cigarettes and rolling tobacco will be a reality in Belgium as of 1 January 2020. The Belgian Alliance for a Smoke Free Society congratulated the Minister of Health De Block and her administration as this measure is crucial for allowing children to grow up smoke free and to protect them from tobacco addiction.

22 mars 2019 – Tous les grands partis politiques soutiennent le principe de l’initiative Générations Sans Tabac, qui veut que tout enfant né à partir de 2019 puisse grandir sans tabac et ne se mette pas à fumer. Il existe en outre un soutien massif de la part des milieux politiques, qui désirent prendre les mesures nécessaires afin que la première génération sans tabac devienne une réalité d’ici 2037. Telles sont les conclusions du débat politique organisé ce matin à Bruxelles par l’Alliance pour une Société sans Tabac. L’Alliance souhaite que le principe défendu par l’initiative Générations Sans Tabac soit intégré aux accords de gouvernement fédéral et régionaux et que les prochains gouvernements élaborent un plan antitabac ambitieux et cohérent.

21 March 2019: The sesssion, titled “Responsible Lobbying: Aligning Profit for Public Good” should not include a tobacco industry representative: one cannot speak of integrity and responsibility when it comes to tobacco industry interference.

8th March 2019: The International Network of Women against Tobacco (INWAT) calls out the Phillip Morris International (PMI) “Week of Women,” – a so called celebration of International Women’s Day a hoax.

Kiev, 19 February 2019 - Ukraine reports a decrease in the sales of cigarettes, in line with the country's successful steps towards increasing tobacco taxes in the past years. The SFP Coalition Partner NGO Advocacy Center 'Life' has prepared a press release with additional information.

Kiev, 15 November 2018 - Newly published results from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey show improvements in smoking prevalence rates among Ukrainian children. The SFP Coalition Partner NGO Advocacy Center 'Life' has prepared a press release with additional information.