Kari Paaso to become a presiding officer of WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
EU states propose Director Kari Paaso for the position of a presiding officer of WHO’s international tobacco convention as the representative of the so called European Region consisting of 51 countries. The presiding officers will be officially nominated in the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control held in New Delhi in India between 7 and 12 November.
The presiding officers will be chosen for two years at a time, and they are six in total. The officers represent WHO’s six geographical regions across the globe.
A large number of matters will be on the agenda in the Conference of the Parties in New Delhi. The Conference will discuss, among other things, additional restrictions concerning tobacco advertising, the strict criteria for dealing with the tobacco industry, the stand on new tobacco products (especially electronic cigarettes and the water pipe), and issues on financing. The international assessment report for the first ten years of the convention will be presented in the meeting. Professor Emeritus Pekka Puska is the chairman of the group that has prepared the assessment. Mr Puska is also a candidate for the role of chairman of Committee A of the Conference of the Parties in New Delhi. Committee A is responsible for matters regarding the content of the framework convention.
WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control FCTC has been ratified by a total of 180 countries. The Convention entered into force
in 2005, after it had been ratified by 40 countries. Finland ratified the treaty in spring 2005. The Convention is aimed at reducing the use and harmful effects of tobacco products globally.
The Convention obligates the parties to protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke and to regulate the contents of tobacco products, provision of product information and package labelling.
Additionally, the parties must provide education, information and support to reduce the demand for tobacco products and to help people give up smoking. The Convention prohibits sales of tobacco products to minors and tobacco advertising. The parties can implement measures beyond those required by the Convention in order to prevent the harmful effects of tobacco, for example, by means of tax and price measures.
Additional information:
Director Kari Paaso, tel. +358 2951 63340
Ministerial Adviser Meri Paavola, tel. +358 2951 63343