Tenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the WHO FCTC
The SEATCA delegation at COP10.
COP10 Decisions and Panama Declaration
Tobacco marketing (Article 13)
Parties adopted specific guidelines to help implement a ban on cross-border tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, including the depiction of tobacco in entertainment media.
Liability (Article 19)
Parties reiterated the need to hold the tobacco industry accountable for the economic, social, and environmental harms that it has caused and re-established an expert group to help inform Parties on how to use civil and criminal laws to make the tobacco industry legally liable.
Tobacco Endgame (Article 2.1)
Parties agreed to the establishment of an Expert Group to explore forward-looking tobacco control measures that go beyond minimum FCTC measures and to report its findings at COP11.
Novel and emerging tobacco products
The COP noted two reports that are useful to advocate for stronger regulatory policies to effectively protect the youth from emerging tobacco products.
1. The report by the Convention Secretariat clarified that, even in the absence of combustion, smoke is produced by heating tobacco products, through pyrolysis and pyrosynthesis.
2. The report by WHO on research and evidence on new and emerging tobacco products
Environment (Article 18)
Parties recognized the extensive harm caused by tobacco to the environment, including affirmed the need to protect the environment from damages caused by the tobacco industry.
Human Rights
Parties recognized the obligation of States to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health when implementing the WHO FCTC and encouraged Parties to consider including WHO FCTC principles and implementation efforts when engaging with the United Nations human rights mechanisms.
Sustainable Development
The COP decided to extend the Global Strategy until 2030 to ensure coherence and alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Panama Declaration
Parties highlighted the above Decisions and reiterated the determination of Parties to prioritize their right to protect public health.
A more detailed summary of COP10 decisions is available here. All COP10 decisions can be found on the FCTC website.
Parties listened to and engaged with a strong youth delegation at COP10. The young advocates called upon Parties to protect them from the tobacco industry and to collaborate with them to create a tobacco-free future.
SEATCA articles in the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control Bulletin:
Global Tobacco Index Finds Governments are Still Pandering to the Tobacco Industry
Exposing the Tobacco Industry’s Tactic: The Alarming Rise of Electronic Smoking Devices
COP10 Reflections from a First-timer’s Perspective
SEATCA Press Releases and OpEds:
Philippines gets Dirty Ashtray award at UN health treaty conference for tobacco control
WHO FCTC COP10: ASEAN nations urged to step up tobacco control
E-Cigarette Marketing in the Philippines: Glaringly Youth-Oriented and Feeding the Tobacco Industry’s Bottom Line
Truth not tobacco industry misinformation about harm reduction: from Manila to Panama
SEATCA booth was a hit!
Guess which of these are ESDs. Visit our Electronic Smoking Device (ESD) Resource Hub to find out more
