Tobacco is killing more than five million people around the world every year. That is why governments came together to negotiate the global tobacco treaty, formally known as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). There are now more than 150 parties to the global tobacco treaty, including 25 of the 27 European Union member states and the EU itself.

But the most serious threat to this groundbreaking treaty is the tobacco industry. Transnationals like Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco (BAT) and Japan Tobacco (JT) are using their political influence to weaken, delay and defeat tobacco control legislation around the world. Allies like Environmental Rights Action Nigeria are continuing to expose how Big Tobacco’s political power has particularly devastating effects in developing countries.

Fortunately, the global tobacco treaty itself, in Article 5.3, safeguards against such tactics. Health advocates and public officials around the world have concluded that the tobacco industry should not have a seat at the table when public health policies are being drawn up, and the FCTC enshrines this concept in international law.

Guidelines to assist Parties to the global tobacco treaty in implementing their obligations under Article 5.3 are now in development. Slated for adoption at the third enforcement meeting on the global tobacco treaty this November in South Africa, these guidelines should:
• Stop partnerships or non-enforceable agreements between Parties and the tobacco industry.
• Limit interactions between public officials and the tobacco industry, and ensure transparency of those interactions that do occur.
• Prevent conflicts of interest—such as a “revolving door” between government bodies and the tobacco industry—from derailing policymaking.
• Require the tobacco industry to disclose information about its operations and activities.

We applaud the European Parliament for exploring the dangers of tobacco industry interference, and the Smoke Free Partnership for organizing this seminar. We hope that today’s discussions will lay the groundwork for strong policies to protect against tobacco industry tactics, including tough, effective guidelines for implementing FCTC Article 5.3.

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