By KT Reporter
The fourth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade of Tobacco Products concluded with a series of decisions aimed at strengthening measures on international cooperation. The Protocol was developed in response to the global issue of illegal trade in tobacco products.
Independent estimates suggest that illicit trade accounts for about 11% of the global tobacco market, and its elimination could bolster global tax revenues by roughly US$47.4 billion annually. Representatives from 60 Parties participated in the deliberations held from 24 to 26 November in Geneva.
Key topics included measures to strengthen the implementation of international cooperation in combating illicit trade, mechanisms for assistance and mobilization of financial resources to support Protocol implementation, licensing, and measures to control the supply chain of tobacco products.
“The Protocol is more than a treaty – it is a framework for coordinated action that equips Parties with tools to slam the door on illicit trade,” said Andrew Black, Acting Head of the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
“Illicit trade in tobacco products is not a victimless crime. It robs governments of vital resources, undermines public health, and erodes the foundations of sustainable development. It fuels corruption, money laundering, and organized crime. We cannot allow those who profit from illicit trade in tobacco to escape justice,” he added.
Parties adopted a decision calling on the Convention Secretariat, in coordination with the World Customs Organization and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, to map existing data on seizures of tobacco, tobacco products, and manufacturing equipment. This exercise will inform future decision-making to combat illicit trade.
The session also agreed to establish a working group on evidence-based research to promote the exchange of experiences, best practices, case studies, technology, and capacity-building measures. A second working group was created to identify good practices and prepare a report on effective mechanisms for strengthening assistance and cooperation on the investigation and prosecution of offences.
Parties were invited to intensify efforts to monitor and collect license fees, which may be levied to support the administration and enforcement of licensing systems, public health initiatives, or other related activities. They were also urged to cooperate and, through competent international and regional organizations, to provide training, technical assistance, and cooperation in implementing licensing-related measures.
Finally, it was announced that Vanuatu has become the latest country to join the Protocol, becoming its 71st Party. In East Africa, only Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya are parties to the Protocol, while Uganda has not yet joined.
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