SMOKE FREE PARTNERSHIP UPDATES

More than 20% of all cancer deaths in the world are attributable to tobacco smoking. Each one of these deaths is entirely preventable through measures of tobacco control, amongst which tobacco taxation has been proveen to be the single most effective intervention. With this rationale in mind, the Prevent20 Coalition aims at uniting cancer organisations around the world to convince governments to reduce cancer deaths by increasing tobacco taxation.

Brussels - SFP is one of 13 NGOs to have signed EPHA's Joint NGO statement on health sustainability in trade and investment agreements, urging the European Commission to design and implement a responsible trade policy in line with EU commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

On Monday 2 October 2017 SFP submitted comments to the public consultation regarding the Implementing Regulation on a Traceability System for Tobacco Products, Delegated Regulation on Data Storage Contracts and Implementing Decision on Security Features. The submission was endorsed by 41 other partner organisations. 

Brussels, 22 September 2017 - Read the latest policy updates of the Smoke Free Partnership and Coalition Partners here.

London, 18 July 2017: Action on Smoking and Health has welcomed the Government’s new Tobacco Control Plan for England, “Towards a Smokefree Generation”, published today. [1] 

BRUSSELS, 27 June 2017 – There is no Plan B for fighting illicit trade of tobacco products if the European Union adopts a tobacco industry-controlled tracking and tracing system, warned international experts and advocates. The calls were made during the High Level Conference on the Illicit Trade of Tobacco Products organised by the Smoke Free Partnership at the European Parliament in Brussels today. The conference was hosted by Francoise Grossetête MEP and co-hosted by MEPs Karin Kadenbach and Bart Staes, and aimed to bring to the forefront a public health perspective on the ongoing discussions.

On 20 June 2017 SFP organised a high level conference on tobacco and research, bringing together leading academics, researchers, and policy makers in research to address the gaps in tobacco control policy research in Europe, explain the need for synergistic relationships between research and policy, and discuss how partnerships in tobacco control research could be developed in Europe and other parts of the world

Prague, 2 June 2017- Following the new law banning smoking in public places approved by the Czech Parliament and the President back on February 2017, the smoking ban in Czech Republic is finally in effect since Wednesday 31 May 2017.

Brussels, 31 May 2017– On World No Tobacco Day, public health organisations call for speeding up the implementation of the FCTC at EU and regional level, as a way to ensure the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development agenda.

London, 11 May 2017 -- A new study published in Tobacco Control, developed by researchers at the UK Research Forum and commissioned by Cancer Research UK, examined the health and economic impact of the UK becoming ‘tobacco-free’ - where less than 5% of the population smoke. The study predicts that achieving this target would avoid nearly 100,000 new cases of smoking-related disease including 35,900 cancers over 20 years.

Dublin, 29 March 2017- Minister for Health, Simon Harris and Minister of State, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy today (Wednesday) announced that the legislation for the standardised packaging of tobacco is to come into force in September 2017.  This follows the signing of the commencement order today (Wednesday) by Minister Corcoran Kennedy for the standardised packaging provisions of the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act 2015.

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.