Experience from the first two cycles of reporting under the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products shows that updates to the Protocol reporting instrument are needed, especially to improve the quality of data provided by the Parties. Data collected through several questions in the current reporting instrument are difficult to use and interpret. The current use of verbatim wording from the Protocol in the questions makes some of them hard to answer. Additionally, there is duplication in the collection of some quantitative data across the current Protocol and WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) reporting instruments that impact those countries that are Parties to both treaties. Finally, the online reporting platform is outdated and is not sufficiently user-friendly, and as a result its use poses challenges to some Parties and also to the Convention Secretariat in analysing the data.
The reporting instrument has been completely revised and the questions redesigned so that they are simpler, more specific and can be answered more precisely. The changes are expected to allow for a better assessment of implementation of the Protocol. The online reporting platform will be updated.
Efforts have been made to reduce duplication in data collection across the Protocol and WHO FCTC reporting instruments, where possible. Official external data on cross-border trade of tobacco and tobacco products and on tobacco growing collected by other United Nations entities may be used to assess global progress in the implementation of the Protocol.
The Convention Secretariat would build a new reporting platform to host the revised Protocol questionnaire and will pilot it with interested Parties. Training and information sessions would be held on how to use the new reporting instrument and platform. The new reporting instrument and platform should be ready for use by Parties by the next reporting cycle (2025).