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.

On 20 June 2007, in the European Parliament (Strasbourg) the SmokeFree Partnership (European Respiratory Society, Cancer Research UK and Institut National du Cancer), together with the European Public Health Alliance/Action for Global Health and the Framework Convention Alliance, organised a lunch debate on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the need for a protocol to deal with smuggling. The debate was co-hosted by Dutch MEP Jules Maaten (ALDE) and German MEP Frithjof Schmidt (Greens). Speakers included Dr Douglas Bettcher from the Tobacco Free Initiative of the WHO, Dr Ahmed Ogwell, regional representative for Africa of FCA and Mr Austin Rowan, Head of Operations, Task Group Cigarettes, OLAF. Around 40 people attended the lunch debate, including 14 MEPs and several parliamentary assistants.

A full report can be accessed below.