SMOKE FREE PARTNERSHIP POLICY MATERIALS

On 15-16 June 2021, the European Commission organized the 14th edition of European Development Days (EDD). This year the event took place virtually , focusing on “The Green Deal for a Sustainable Future,” with the objective to stress the interconnection between climate change and public health.

On the occasion of a special policy dialogue focusing on the Tobacco Products Directive, the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL), the European Heart Network (EHN), the European Lung Foundation (ELF), the European Respiratory Society (ERS), and the Smoke Free Partnership (SFP), teamed up to formulate concrete recommendations to EU policy makers towards delivering effective policies to protect in the best way possible children’s and young people’s health from tobacco and to achieve a sustainable tobacco-free future.

Brussels, 6 June 2018: Over 25 public officials, MEPs, public health advocates, gathered at the European Parliament in Brussels to mark World No Tobacco Day 2018, on the theme “Tobacco Breaks Hearts” and focusing on the impact of tobacco use on cardiovascular diseases.

Sofia, Bulgaria: following the roundtable organised by SFP in conjunction with the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU on 25-26 April 2018, the report below captures the key discussion points from the meeting.

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

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.

The conference report highlights the challenges in the implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and specifically its Article 5.3 which asks governments to protect public health from the interference of the tobacco industry.

12 October 2016. SFP organised a roundtable on Research, Surveillance and Exchange of Information (FCTC Art 20) hosted by MEP Linda McAvan. The overall objective of the roundtable was to raise awareness of and support for Article 20 of the FCTC in order to ensure this important article is no longer overlooked and gets the attention it deserves amongst all policy makers in charge of research within the European Union.

20-21 June 2016. SFP together with the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease,  held a 2-day Capacity Building Seminar that took place in Bratislava. The aim of this seminar was to strengthen the training developed by SFP in previous years in order to effectively support national, European and international policy initiatives in line with Articles 6 (taxation) and 15 (illicit trade) of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) as well as the EU approach with regards to taxation and illicit trade.

30 September- 1 October 2015. SFP organised this high level conference in the city of Leuven in Belgium. Bringing together tobacco tax experts, European Commission officials from DG TAXUD, DG SANTE and OLAF as well as MEPs and the tobacco control community, this conference provided an opportunity to discuss the different perspectives on tobacco taxation and illicit trade (Articles 6 and 15 of the FCTC).

14 April 2015. With a keynote speech by European Commission Deputy Director General for Health and Food Safety, Martin Seychell this breakfast seminar celebrated the launch of the updated SFP Smokefree Map and provided a platform to discuss whether smokefree policies in the EU are honouring national commitments made under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the 2009 Council Recommendation on Smokefree Environments.

24 April 2013. Smoke Free Partnership and Tobaksfakta Think Tank organised a week-long exhibition from 22 to 26 April and a breakfast debate on 24 April, Protecting Children From Tobacco: What Works?, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

29 February 2012. This event in the European Parliament, Brussels, set the debate as to why plain, standardized packaging (in combination with large, mandatory pictorial warnings) is needed in the upcoming revision of the Tobacco Products Directive.

24 February 2010 . The Smoke Free Partnership organised an event in the European Parliament on the EU Better Regulation agenda, where a report on industry interference into policy-making processes was launched.

1 February 2010. The Smoke Free Partnership organised an seminar in the European Parliament in Brussels on the global illicit trade in tobacco.

3-4 September 2008. The Smokefree Partnership, together with its partners and the Association of European Cancer Leagues, organised a two-day workshop in Leuven, Belgium.

15 July 2008.  SFP organised a seminar in the European Parliament (Brussels) on FCTC article 5.3 and to explore the reasons why normal rules of engagement shouldn't apply to the tobacco industry.

30 January 2008. The first briefing paper "Spotlight on the FCTC” was launched on January 30 at a cocktail reception in the European Parliament, Brussels hosted by Linda McAvan MEP.

20 June 2007, Strasbourg - The Smokefree Partnership organised a lunchtime debate on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the need for a protocol to deal with smuggling in the European Parliament, Strasbourg.

3-4 May 2007. The Smokefree Partnership, together with the EHN and CNCT, organised a consensus seminar on tobacco and nicotine product regulation in Leuven, Belgium.

17 April 2007. The Smoke Free Partnership organized a workshop entitled Smoke Free Places as part of the EPHA Conference Health in the Enlarged EU in Bratislava.

28 February 2007. A European campaign to ensure that only ’fire safer’ cigarettes are produced and marketed in the EU was launched at a hearing in the European Parliament.

21 March 2006. The Smoke Free Partnership published ‘Lifting the smokescreen: 10 reasons for going smokefree’, which was launched at the European Parliament by MEPs Liz Lynne and Adamos Adamou.