SMOKE FREE PARTNERSHIP UPDATES

Brussels, 30 March 2017- New tobacco products are now being promoted by the tobacco industry, using a “consultant” (Mr Jos Draijer) recruited after a controversial career as a national health representative and European Bureau member for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). 

Kyiv, 28 March 2017-  Read SFP's Coalition partner LIFE press release on reduction of 28% of smoking prevalence rate among young people in Ukraine.

Brussels, 13 March 2017- On 22 March 2017, British American Tobacco is due to sponsor the European Conference on Fighting Organised Crime and Terrorism 2017, which lists as speakers and participants high-level EU officials alongside business representatives. As a sponsor, the company has input to the programme and provides speakers to this conference.

Brussels, 7 March 2017- Read the latest policy updates of the Smoke Free Partnership and the Coalition Partners here.

Sarajevo - SFP is glad to share the good news from Bosnia and Herzegovina and its partner PROI about adoption of tobacco control bill by the government.

Brussels – The Smoke Free Partnership calls on the European Commission to recognize the importance of tobacco taxation in protecting public health in its upcoming proposal for a revision of the Tobacco Tax Directive.

Brussels - Congratulations to SFP Coalition Partners No excuse Slovenia and Slovenian Coalition for Public Health, Environment and Tobacco Control for their tireless advocacy to support this legislation in the last year.

Brussels - The European Parliament in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rubber-stamped the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada.

Prague - We are happy to announce that on Tuesday, 14 February 2017 the Czech Parliament and the President approved a new law banning smoking in many public places.

Vilnius - SFP’s partner NTAKK together with major Lithuanian institutions involved in tobacco control policy have co-signed a consensus position regarding their commitment to protect tobacco control policy from interference of the tobacco industry.

Prague - On Thursday, 19 January 2017 the Czech Senate voted by a wide margin (45-12) to approve a smoking ban in bars, restaurants and cafes in the Czech Republic.

Stockholm - SFP's partner Tobaksfakta has recently produced a film named Kiosken around the topic of Sweden's implementation of the EU's Tobacco Products Directive

Oslo - Members of Parliament voted in favour of standardised packaging of tobacco products despite intense lobbying by the tobacco industry to sway politicians against the measure.

Brussels - This edition of the SFP news update highlights key policy updates on tobacco taxation, illicit trade and tobacco control research, and gives the SFP Coalition partners a brief report from COP7 in India.

Brussels – The Smoke Free Partnership notes with alarm that despite a clear, strong-worded ruling of maladministration issued today by the European Ombudsman, the European Commission’s meetings with the tobacco industry at the highest level continue uninterrupted.

Stockholm - SFP's Coalition partner Tobaksfakta have received funds from the Public Health Agency for a project that will help to increase public knowledge and awareness of important news in the Tobacco Act.

London - The Appeal Court has today handed down a ruling rejecting the tobacco industry’s appeal against the law requiring standardised packaging of cigarettes and hand-rolled tobacco.[1] 

Brussels – Over 100 countries have adopted pictorial health warnings, and almost 20 have adopted or are considering the introduction of plain standardised packaging, shows a new international status report.

Kyiv - SFP's Coalition partner, Advocacy Center LIFE, conducted a press conference to expose tobacco industry’s marketing tactics targeting children.

Ljubljana, October 2016- View the video with SFP's contribution to press conference organised by the SFP Coalition partner Slovenian Coalition for Public Health, Environment and Tobacco Control.

Brussels – The Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) applauds the decision of the Commission to reject renewal or extension of the PMI Agreement with the EU, beyond its current date of expiry- 9th July 2016. The decision sets a milestone in the fight against illicit tobacco trade by allowing the allocation of resources and efforts for implementing more adequate measures, such as the global WHO Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

Strasbourg - The EU will soon become the 18th jurisdiction to ratify the WHO Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (Illicit Trade Protocol). The Smoke Free Partnership welcomes the European Parliament`s plenary vote for the ratification of the Protocol by the EU and calls on the EU Member States to follow its lead.

Brussels - During a reception at the European Parliament to celebrate World No Tobacco Day 2016, organised by the Smokefree Partnership and 12 other health and tobacco control organisations, participants celebrated the entry into force of the Tobacco Products Directive and the implementation of plain packaging in the UK and France, with Ireland soon to follow, a measure made possible under the 2014 TPD.

The 2016 World No Tobacco Day focused on plain packaging falls just a few days after the entry into force of the Tobacco Products Directive, which has greatly contributed to the implementation of plain packaging in EU Member States. This reception celebrated the Directive and the possibilities it has created for Member States to introduce plain packaging of tobacco products.