First Session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products

The Meeting of the Parties (MOP1) to a new global treaty to fight the tobacco illicit market closed its first session on Wednesday after taking the first steps towards the creation of a monitoring system to track and trace the movement of tobacco products.

The three-day session was the first gathering of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, following the treaty’s entry into force on 25 September.

“This meeting was a historic occasion and a critical turning point for tobacco control and public health,” said Carlos Cisneros, MOP1 President and Ecuador Undersecretary of Health Promotion. “The illicit tobacco trade jeopardizes both public health and tobacco control efforts. We must act together to fight the illicit tobacco trade with a common framework.”