I am very proud to be here today and to celebrate the fact that we have attained the required ratifications and accessions for the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products to enter into force. This is the first Protocol to be negotiated under the umbrella of the mother treaty, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and is therefore an historical achievement for all Parties involved.
With the entering into force of the Protocol, we have made yet another step in our global efforts in tobacco control. To tackle illicit trade is to tackle accessibility and affordability of tobacco products, to be more effective on the control of the packaging and to reduce funding of transnational criminal activities whilst protecting the governmental revenues from tobacco taxation.
As the Head of the WHO FCTC Secretariat I am very thankful to the Parties of the treaty who have made great strides to ensure the Protocol entered into force in time to celebrate the first session of the Meeting of the Parties that will be taking place from 8-10 October this year in Geneva. This shows their political commitment and urgent action to address the supply reduction dimension tobacco control policy.
The first Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol will be deciding on the steps for this important next chapter of our work: the implementation of this new international legal instrument. Important aspects include:
- The prevention of illicit trade; controlling the supply chain of tobacco products. An example of such a provision is the development of a tracking and tracing system
- Law enforcement: Parties should establish unlawful conduct with dissuasive sanctions
- International cooperation: cooperation on technical, administrative, law enforcement and legal matters
I very much look forward to this first session of the Meeting and I would like to stress again how proud I am that from now on we will act as Secretariat for two conventional instruments on tobacco control.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Director-General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros, for his support and efforts to promote our Protocol and to obtain the necessary number of Parties for the Protocol to become a reality.
Thank you.