Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Sixth session Moscow, Russian Federation,13–18 October 2014 Provisional agenda item 6.6
FCTC/COP/6/26 29 May 2014
Review of accreditation of nongovernmental organizations with the status of observer to the Conference of the Parties
Background 1. In accordance with Rule 31.3 of the Rules of Procedure of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the COP “shall review the accreditation of each nongovernmental organization at any of its regular sessions and thus determine the desirability of maintaining its observer status”. 2. The COP carried out its first review of the accreditation of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as observers to the COP at its fourth session (Punta del Este, Uruguay, 15–20 November 2010), in accordance with Rule 31.3 of its Rules of Procedure.1 At that session the COP decided to maintain accreditation for 24 NGOs out of the 50 that had observer status up to that point.2 The COP also granted observer status to two of the NGOs that had applied for such status before the session. 3 The list of NGOs that currently have observer status, in accordance with the COP decisions, is available in Annex 1. 3. In order to facilitate future reviews of the accreditation of NGOs, the COP adopted a process 4 at its fifth session (Seoul, Republic of Korea, 12–17 November 2012) whereby, inter alia, each NGO is requested to submit a report on its activities to the Secretariat every two years and at the latest six months before the opening of the next regular session of the COP.
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The information below summarizes the outcome of the Secretariat’s analysis of the reports submitted by the NGOs, taking also into account the participation of NGOs in sessions of the COP and its intersessional bodies, and the recommendations of the Bureau of the COP, in accordance with decisions FCTC/COP2(6), FCTC/COP5(20) and FCTC/COP5(22). This document also contains recommendations on harmonization of the future reporting format to be used by NGOs.
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See document FCTC/COP/4/22 Rev.1. This and other COP documents and decisions are available at http://www.who.int/fctc/publications 2 See decision FCTC/COP4(23). 3 See decision FCTC/COP4(3). 4 See decision FCTC/COP5(22) and document FCTC/COP/5/26.
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Reports received from NGOs 5. By letter of 30 October 2013, the Secretariat informed all 26 NGOs that have observer status of the process adopted by the COP for review of their accreditation, and invited them to submit their reports by the deadline of 31 January 2014. NGOs were asked to ensure that their reports addressed, in particular, activities undertaken in support of implementation of the Convention by the Parties and internationally, preferably in respect of specific articles of the Convention. 6. The following 22 NGOs submitted a report:
Corporate Accountability International; Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences; European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention; FDI World Dental Federation; Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control; International Alliance of Women; International Association of Rural Medicine and Health; International Commission on Occupational Health; International Council of Nurses; International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations; International Network of Women Against Tobacco; International Organization for Standardization; International Pharmaceutical Federation; International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care; International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease; Medical Women’s International Association; Union for International Cancer Control; World Federation of Public Health Associations; World Heart Federation; World Medical Association; World Organization of Family Doctors; World Self-Medication Industry. 7. The following four NGOs did not submit a report:
Consumers International; International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics; International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations; International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation.
Summary of the Secretariat’s analysis of the reports received by NGOs 8. Sixteen of those NGOs that reported have a specific reference to tobacco control in their mission statements, while others address tobacco-related issues through broader objectives in public health, cancer control, biomedical research or protection from corporate abuse. With regard to contributions towards implementation of specific provisions of the Convention, the reports received mainly addressed Articles 6, 12, 14, 20 and 22 and to a lesser extent Article 15 and Articles 17 and 18, as summarized below. 9. The majority of the NGOs reported that they undertake activities related to Article 12 of the Convention (Education, communication, training and public awareness). Examples include the new training programme of Corporate Accountability International to build capacity within NGOs in countries to monitor and expose tobacco industry interference in implementation of the WHO FCTC and to support governments’ efforts to implement Article 5.3 of the Convention; and the updated publication by the International Network of Women Against Tobacco, Empower women: combating tobacco industry marketing in the WHO European Region, developed in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe. 10. Eleven NGOs reported activities in relation to Article 14 (Demand reduction measures concerning tobacco dependence and cessation). Examples include: the creation of the European Smoking Cessation Guidelines by the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention – the guide is intended for use by medical professionals involved in providing tobacco cessation advice; and the assistance provided by the World Federation of Public Health Associations, through its national member organizations, in the creation of smoking cessation clinics and in the development and promotion of cessation guidelines addressed to health-care staff in several countries. Work related to Article 6 (Price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco) was also reported by several NGOs. For example, the Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control has developed a toolkit providing Parties with a “roadmap” to aid them in implementation of Article 6.
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FCTC/COP/6/26 11. Several NGOs reported on work carried out in relation to Article 20 (Research, surveillance and exchange of information) and Article 22 (Cooperation in the scientific, technical and legal fields and provision of related expertise). For example, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations is promoting research and development of tobacco dependence treatments and the Framework Convention Alliance promotes the implementation of the Convention internationally through its “FCTC: Action Now!” campaign. 12. Of the articles mentioned by the NGOs in their reports, Article 15 (Illicit trade in tobacco products) and Articles 17 and 18 (Provision of support for economically viable alternative activities and Protection of the environment and the health of persons) were the least frequently cited. One relevant programme in this area was reported by the International Alliance of Women, which organized a training programme for women bidi workers in India with the aim of sensitizing them and promoting alternative livelihoods.
Participation in the sessions of the COP and other relevant meetings organized by the Convention Secretariat 13. With regard to participation in COP sessions, 11 NGOs participated at the fifth session of the COP (represented by more than 150 participants). These NGOs had also in general participated in previous COP sessions. Eight NGOs have never attended a session of the COP. 14. The contribution of NGOs to COP sessions has included preparation and distribution of background documents, publication of a daily newsletter (by the Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control) and participation in the discussions on various agenda items and satellite events. NGOs have contributed similarly to the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on a Protocol on Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. 15. A total of 14 NGOs have also contributed to the work of intersessional groups mandated by the fifth session of the COP, 5 at the invitation of the Secretariat and in accordance with the decisions of the COP. 16. Since 2009, the Convention Secretariat has regularly convened informal consultative meetings with NGOs accredited as observers to the COP, which have been attended by, on average, 10–12 NGOs. 17. In addition to participating in meetings organized by the Secretariat, several NGOs have also included tobacco control among the topics of annual or biannual meetings organized for their constituencies. Examples include sessions dedicated to the WHO FCTC at the conferences of the Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control, the Union for International Cancer Control, and the World Federation of Public Health Associations. 18. The full reports submitted by the NGOs are available from the Secretariat, upon request, for consultation by Parties.
Harmonization of the NGO reporting format 19. In order to harmonize the reporting format and facilitate the Secretariat’s analysis of NGO reports in a consistent manner, a standard reporting questionnaire is proposed in Annex 2 for use by NGOs in future reporting cycles.
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The working groups on Articles 9 and 10, Articles 17 and 18, and sustainable measures to strengthen implementation of the WHO FCTC; the expert group on Article 19; and the open-ended intersessional drafting group on Article 6.
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Bureau’s recommendations to the COP 20. The Bureau would like to recommend to the COP to consider maintaining observer status for the following 16 NGOs that submitted a report and have also attended at least one session of the COP: Corporate Accountability International; European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention; FDI World Dental Federation; Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control; International Alliance of Women; International Council of Nurses; International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations; International Network of Women Against Tobacco; International Pharmaceutical Federation; International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease; Medical Women’s International Association; Union for International Cancer Control; World Federation of Public Health Associations; World Heart Federation; World Medical Association; World Self-Medication Industry. 21. The Bureau would also like to recommend that observer status be discontinued for the following eight NGOs that have not attended at least one session of the COP: Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences; International Association of Rural Medicine and Health; International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics; International Commission on Occupational Health; International Federation of Medical Students Associations; International Organization for Standardization; International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care; World Organization of Family Doctors. 22. With regard to the following two NGOs that did not submit a report but that have attended at least one session of the COP, the Bureau would like to recommend that a decision on whether to maintain or discontinue their observer status be deferred, pending receipt of a report during the next NGO reporting cycle, which will precede the seventh session of the COP. Should a report from those NGOs not be received in that period, with a deadline of six months before opening of the session, the Bureau would like to recommend that observer status be automatically discontinued. Consumer International; International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation. 23. The COP may wish to consider urging NGOs to participate in the sessions of the COP as a key means of exercising their rights as observers. In this regard, the COP may also consider in its future reviews of accreditation discontinuing observer status for NGOs that have not participated in two consecutive sessions of the COP.
ACTION BY THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES 24. The COP is invited to consider the Bureau’s recommendations as outlined in paragraphs 20–23 and also to consider adopting the standard format for reporting contained in Annex 2.
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ANNEX 1 Nongovernmental organizations with the status of observer to the COP
Consumers International Corporate Accountability International Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention FDI World Dental Federation Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control International Alliance of Women International Association of Rural Medicine and Health International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics International Commission on Occupational Health International Council of Nurses International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations International Network of Women Against Tobacco International Organization for Standardization International Pharmaceutical Federation International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Medical Women’s International Association Union for International Cancer Control World Federation of Public Health Associations World Heart Federation World Medical Association World Organization of Family Doctors World Self-Medication Industry
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ANNEX 2 Proposed standard reporting questionnaire for use by NGOs for future reviews of accreditation (to be made available on the website of the WHO FCTC) A. Contact details: 1. Name of organization: 2. Mailing address: 3. Head of the organization 4. Contact person responsible for the report (first name, family name): 5. Telephone number (full number, for example: +41 123 456 7890): 6. Email (the email format is “xxxx@yyyy.zzz”): 7. Website (the URL format is “http://xxxx”): B. General information: 1. Please indicate whether your organization would like to retain its status as observer to the Conference of the Parties: Y/N Does your organization’s mission statement specifically refer to tobacco control? Y/N If yes, please specify: Does your organization have regional branches to enhance activities in different regions or groups of countries? Y/N If yes, please provide details: Does your organization regularly convene meetings or conferences for its membership? Y/N If yes, is tobacco control covered in these meetings? Y/N
2. 2.1 3.
3.1 4. 4.1
4.1.1 If yes, please provide details: C. Participation in WHO FCTC meetings and contributions to other tobacco control related events: 1. Please indicate the meetings (title and date) organized by the Convention Secretariat at which your organization was represented (sessions of the Conference of the Parties, meetings of intersessional bodies established by the COP, the Secretariat’s annual meetings with NGOs accredited as observers, etc.): Please list any other meetings or conferences with a focus on tobacco control attended by your organization (title and date):
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D. Your organization’s activities to support implementation of the WHO FCTC: 1. Has your organization conducted any work/activity in relation to the following provisions of the WHO FCTC?
– Article 5 (General obligations) Y/N • If yes, please provide details:
– Article 6 (Price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco) Y/N • If yes, please provide details:
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– Article 8 (Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 9 (Regulation of the contents of tobacco products) and/or Article 10 (Regulation of tobacco product disclosures) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 11 (Packaging and labelling of tobacco products) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 12 (Education, communication, training and public awareness) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 13 (Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 14 (Demand reduction measures concerning tobacco dependence and cessation) Y/N • If yes, please provide details:
– Article 15 (Illicit trade in tobacco products) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 16 (Sales to and by minors) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 17 (Provision of support for economically viable alternative activities) and/or Article 18 (Protection of the environment and the health of persons) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 19 (Liability) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 20 (Research, surveillance and exchange of information) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: – Article 22 (Cooperation in the scientific, technical and legal fields and provision of related expertise) Y/N • If yes, please provide details: E. Other relevant activities to support the work of the WHO FCTC
1. Please provide any other relevant information: 2. Please attach any relevant file(s):
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F. Declarations Please confirm that the activities of your organization are in conformity with the 17th and 18th preambular paragraphs and Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC. (Please check the box to confirm)
Please also confirm that your organization does not receive, has not received and will not receive in the future, either directly or indirectly, any financial or other contributions or assistance from the tobacco industry or its affiliates or those furthering the interests of the tobacco industry. (Please check the box to confirm)
Please also confirm that neither your members nor your partners are affiliated directly or indirectly with the tobacco industry or its affiliates or those furthering the interests of the tobacco industry. (Please check the box to confirm)
I confirm that the information provided above is accurate to the best of my knowledge. (Please check the box to confirm)
(date and signature by head of organization)
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