Journal nº 3, Wednesday, 10 November 2021

Journal N° 3 • Wednesday 9 November 2021 • Page 1 Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Ninth Session, Geneva, Switzerland, 8–13 November 2021 JOURNAL N° 3 – Wednesday 10 November 2021 This Journal does not constitute an official record of the Conference of the Parties. Time Event 10:00–13:00 Committees A and B – third meetings After conclusion of item 6.4 in Committee B Fourth Plenary meeting After conclusion of Plenary Fourth meeting of Committee B After conclusion of Committee B Fifth Plenary meeting Regional meetings 08:00–09:00 European Union Coordination Meeting (private) 08:30−09:30 Regional group for Africa 08:30−09:30 Regional group for the Eastern Mediterranean 08:30−09:30 Regional group for South-East Asia 08:30−09:30 Regional group for the Western Pacific 09:00−09:45 Regional group for Europe 13:00–14:00 European Union Coordination Meeting (private) 17:00–18:00 European Union Coordination Meeting (private) 18:00−20:00 Regional group for the Americas Other meetings 17:00–18:15 Meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties (closed) Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control • Ninth Session – Geneva, Switzerland, 8–13 November 2021 Journal N° 3 • Wednesday 10 November 2021 • Page 2 Programme of work Third meeting of Committee A 10:00 Item 6 (continued) Budgetary and institutional matters Item 6.5 Review of accreditation of nongovernmental organizations with the status of observer to the Conference of the Parties (transferred from Committee B) Document FCTC/COP/9/16 Item 6.6 Strengthening synergies between the Conference of the Parties and the World Health Assembly: report by the WHO Director-General on resolutions and decisions of the Seventy-second, Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly (transferred from Committee B) Document FCTC/COP/9/17 Third meeting of Committee B 10:00 Item 6 (continued) Budgetary and institutional matters Item 6.4 Convention Secretariat’s fundraising strategies: Investment fund concept Documents FCTC/COP/9/15 and FCTC/COP/9/INF.DOC./2 Fourth Plenary meeting After conclusion of item 6.4 in Committee B Item 1.2 (continued) Credentials of participants Document FCTC/COP/9/2 – Declaration on WHO FCTC and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic Document FCTC/COP/9/P/CONF./1 Rev.1 Fourth meeting of Committee B After conclusion of Plenary Item 6 (continued) Budgetary and institutional matters Item 6.7 Appointment of the Head of the Convention Secretariat: report by the Bureau Document FCTC/COP/9/18 Fifth Plenary meeting After conclusion of Committee B – First report of Committee B (Draft) Document FCTC/COP/9/B/R/1, containing 2 decisions entitled: – Item 6.2 Workplan and Budget for the financial period 2022–2023 – Item 6.3 Assessed Contributions Item 7 Date and place of the Tenth Regular Session of the Conference of the Parties Document FCTC/COP/9/19 Item 8 Election of the President and the Vice-Presidents of the Conference of the Parties Document FCTC/COP/9/20 Item 9 Adoption of the provisional report of the Ninth Session of the Conference of the Parties Document FCTC/COP/9/21 Item 10 Closure of the session Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control • Ninth Session – Geneva, Switzerland, 8–13 November 2021 Journal N° 3 • Wednesday 10 November 2021 • Page 3 Report of meetings on Tuesday 9 November 2021 Third plenary meeting In the chair: H.E. Mr Esmaeil Baghaei Hamaneh (Islamic Republic of Iran) President of the Conference of the Parties Item 1 (continued) Opening of the session Item 1.1 (continued) Adoption of the agenda and organization of work The President called the meeting to order and reopened the agenda item 1.1 Adoption of the agenda and organization of work as proposed in documents FCTC/COP/9/1 and FCTC/COP/9/1 (annotated). The Parties were asked to consider a compromise of the text as proposed by the President and comments were invited from the floor. The decision was adopted as proposed and the agenda was approved. It was agreed that, following previous practice, Committee A would be entrusted with work under provisional agenda items 4 and 5, and Committee B would focus on matters under provisional agenda item 6. The remaining agenda items would be taken up in Plenary as follows: Item 1.2 Credentials of participants Item 2 Applications for the status of observer to the COP Item 3 Global Progress in implementation of the WHO FCTC Item 7 Date and place of the tenth regular session of the Conference of the Parties Item 8 Election of the President and the Vice-Presidents of the Conference of the Parties Item 9 Adoption of the provisional report of the ninth session of the Conference of the Parties Item 10 Closure of the session Delegates from the following countries were nominated for the offices of Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons to the Committees: representatives from Paraguay, the Republic of Korea and Gabon. In the absence of candidates for the positions of one Vice-Chair in Committee A and two Vice- Chairs in Committee B, the President announced that work would commence based on the existing nominations. The President requested that Parties meet to decide on the additional candidacies from the Eastern Mediterranean, European and South-East Asia regions. Item 1.2 Credentials of participants In accordance with Rule 19 of the Rules of Procedure, the Bureau would examine the credentials of the Parties participating in this session and will report in writing to a subsequent plenary meeting, on Wednesday. The President recalled Rule 20 of the Rules of Procedure. Item 2 Applications for the status of observer to the Conference of the Parties In accordance with Rule 31 of the Rules of Procedure, the President informed the Conference that five applications for observer status had been submitted to the Secretariat, as noted in document FCTC/COP/9/4. It was decided: - to grant observer status to the five applying nongovernmental organizations: African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA), Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), Smoke Free Partnership (SFP), Tobacco Control Research Group (TFRG), and Vital Strategies Inc. Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control • Ninth Session – Geneva, Switzerland, 8–13 November 2021 Journal N° 3 • Wednesday 10 November 2021 • Page 4 The Bureau reviewed applications from the following seven organizations: ASH Finland, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO), New Nicotine Alliance (NNA) UK, Parlement Africain de la société civile, Science for Democracy, and Think Tank Africa WorldWide Group. The Conference was asked to endorse the recommendations as contained in document FCTC/COP/9/4. The Conference agreed with the recommendations and observer status was rejected for all seven organizations. The agenda item was closed. Item 3 Global progress in implementation of the WHO FCTC Under item 3 Global progress in implementation of the WHO FCTC, delegations were invited to submit video statements in lieu of live interventions. The President reminded the Conference that no general debate would follow this agenda item. The meeting was adjourned. First meeting of Committee A In the chair: Dr Graciela Gamarra (Paraguay) The Chair opened the meeting and introduced the Vice-Chair, Dr Sungkyu Lee (the Republic of Korea) to the Committee. Item 4 Treaty instruments and technical matters The Committee was reminded that for the reasons discussed in the opening Plenary under Agenda item 1, the five reports under agenda items 4.1 and 4.2 would be provided for the information of the Parties, with substantive discussions of and decisions on these items deferred to COP10. This approach had been agreed by the COP, as reflected in decision FCTC/COP9(2). Item 4.1 Implementation of Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC (Regulation of contents and disclosure of tobacco products: reports by the expert group, and by WHO and the Convention Secretariat) The Committee was asked to consider the reports contained in documents FCTC/COP/9/6, FCTC/COP/9/7 and FCTC/COP/9/8. Comments were invited from the floor. The Committee noted the report contained in FCTC/COP/9/6. The Chair announced that, due to time constraints, discussion of this item would continue at the next meeting of the Committee. The meeting was adjourned. First meeting of Committee B In the chair: Mr. Ferdinand Mangongo (Gabon) The Chair opened the meeting and invited the Eastern Mediterranean, European and South-East Asia Regions to nominate representatives for the two Vice-Chair positions of Committee B. Item 6 Budgetary and institutional matters Item 6.1 Performance and Progress reports a. Performance report for the 2018–2019 workplan and budget b. Interim performance report for the 2020–2021 workplan and budget Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control • Ninth Session – Geneva, Switzerland, 8–13 November 2021 Journal N° 3 • Wednesday 10 November 2021 • Page 5 The agenda item was opened and the Chair invited the Committee to take note of the performance report for the 2018–2019 workplan and budget contained in document FCTC/COP/9/12. The Committee was also invited to take note of the interim performance report for the 2020–2021 workplan and budget, noting that both reports were contained in the same document. The Chair invited comments from the floor. The Secretariat responded to the issues raised. The Committee noted the two reports and the agenda item was closed. Item 6.2 Proposed Workplan and Budget for the financial period 2022–2023 The Committee was invited to consider the reports contained in documents FCTC/COP/9/13 and FCTC/COP/9/INF.DOC./1 and adopt the proposed Workplan and Budget for the financial period 2022-2023, contained in the Draft Decision available as a White Paper in the restricted website. Comments were invited from the floor. The Chair announced that consideration of this item would resume at the next meeting of Committee B when the Secretariat would respond to issues raised. The meeting was adjourned. Second meeting of Committee A In the chair: Dr Graciela Gamarra (Paraguay) Item 4 (continued) Treaty instruments and technical matters Item 4.1 (continued) Implementation of Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC (Regulation of contents and disclosure of tobacco products: reports by the expert group, and by WHO and the Convention Secretariat) Discussion of item 4.1 resumed and the Committee was invited to consider the report contained in document FCTC/COP/9/7. Comments were invited from the floor. The Chair informed the Committee that comments are noted and with that, the Committee noted the report. The Chair drew the Committee’s attention to the report contained in document FCTC/COP/9/8 Progress report on technical matters related to Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO FCTC (Regulation of contents and disclosure of tobacco products, including waterpipe, smokeless tobacco and heated tobacco products). The floor was opened for comments. The Committee noted the report. Item 4.2 Novel and emerging tobacco products The Committee considered the reports contained in documents FCTC/COP/9/9 and FCTC/COP/9/10 and the Chair invited comments from the floor. After listening to inputs from the Parties, the Committee noted the reports. Item 5 Reporting, implementation assistance and international cooperation Item 5.1 Implementation Review Mechanism The Committee was asked to consider the Report by the Convention Secretariat on the Implementation Review Mechanism as contained in document FCTC/COP/9/11 and the floor was opened for discussion. The Secretariat responded to issues raised and provided further clarification that substantive discussion on the IRM was deferred to COP10, and confirmed that the respective budget line for the IRM was removed from the latest iteration of the workplan and budget for the period 2022-2023. The report was noted. Committee A completed its consideration of the assigned items and noted the reports under agenda items 4 and 5. Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control • Ninth Session – Geneva, Switzerland, 8–13 November 2021 Journal N° 3 • Wednesday 10 November 2021 • Page 6 Second meeting of Committee B In the chair: Mr. Ferdinand Mangongo (Gabon) Item 6 (continued) Budgetary and institutional matters Item 6.2 (continued) Proposed Workplan and Budget for the financial period 2022–2023 The Chair reopened this item and invited comments from the floor. At the invitation of the Chair, Legal Counsel took the floor to report that Dr Samadhi Rajapkasa (Sri Lanka) had been nominated for the office of Vice-Chair of Committee B. The Chair then invited the Convention Secretariat to respond to issues raised. The Committee approved the draft decision as proposed by the Convention Secretariat and the item was closed. Item 6.3 Payment of the assessed contributions and measures to reduce Parties in arrears The Chair opened the item and invited the Committee to note the report and adopt the draft decision contained in document FCTC/COP/9/14. The Chair gave the floor to the Secretariat to provide an oral update of the list of Parties in arrears. The Secretariat reported that the following countries had paid their contributions since the time of the finalization of the list on page 12 of the document and should be considered no longer in arrears: Colombia, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Suriname, Timor-Leste and Uganda. Comments were invited from the floor on the draft decision as contained in document FCTC/COP/9/14. The Chair proposed that the Committee suspend discussion to allow the Secretariat to produce a revised version of the draft decision, taking into account the proposed amendments, for the consideration of the Committee. The Committee reconvened and the Chair gave the floor to the Secretariat to present the revised text in the draft decision, and the decision was approved as amended. The meeting was adjourned. Journal N° 3 • Wednesday 9 November 2021 • Page 7 COP9 WHO FCTC App The WHO Events App for the WHO FCTC COP9 for smart phones and computer is now available. The App provides secure access to the official documents, basic documents and all the practical information that participants need for taking part in COP9. For more information, check the App Quick Start Guide, or contact fctcappsupport@who.int if you require any assistance regarding the app. Social Media Accounts Delegates are encouraged to raise awareness about COP9 as well as the WHO FCTC including the importance of its implementation through social media. Official hashtags: #COP9FCTC is recommended to be used on Twitter, Facebook or other channels for this purpose. Contact information Plenary: Secretary, Ms Guangyuan Liu Assistant Secretary, Ms Carmen Willen Assistant Secretary, Mr Dominique Nguyen fctcgovernance@who.int Committee A: Secretary, Dr Tibor Szilágyi Assistant Secretary: Ms Leticia Martínez López fctcComA@who.int Committee B: Secretary, Mr Andrew Black Assistant Secretary, Dr Patrick Musavuli fctcComB@who.int Procedural issues To raise a point of order, request a right of reply or make a procedural motion, a delegation member should send a message to +41 79 942 4378 by SMS text or by WhatsApp. This number is staffed during meeting times and may only be used for points of order, requests for rights of reply or other procedural motions and not for any other matter. Any messages will be promptly relayed to the presiding officer. Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control • Ninth Session – Geneva, Switzerland, 8–13 November 2021 Journal N° 3 • Wednesday 10 November 2021 • Page 8 Announcements Interventions Parties and observers are invited to submit video statements which shall be broadcast in lieu of a live intervention, except the video statements under agenda item 3: Global Progress Report which will be posted on the COP9 website without broadcasting. When submitting please specify, both in the subject line of the email and at the top of the attached statement, the name of the country/group, the meeting (for example, Plenary, Committee A or Committee B) and the number of the relevant agenda item (COUNTRY NAME_Committee A_Agenda Item 6.2). Technical specificities and comprehensive guidelines for the pre-recorded video statements and how those shall be submitted are available on the COP9 webpage. Delegations wishing to make their intervention via video statement in lieu of a live intervention must request the floor by raising their hand within the platform. Please e-mail the text of your intervention to statementsinterpret@who.int Distribution of documents The documents for the session can be downloaded at: COP9 main documents. Restricted documents can be accessed at: COP9 in session restricted documents. The password has been provided to delegates. Virtual platform COP9 will be held virtually using an online meeting platform. Attendance will be enabled through secured access to a videoconference that will allow representatives to hear other participants and to address, as appropriate, the meeting remotely. Following online registration, participants will receive a communication with personal links to connect to the virtual meetings of the plenary session and committees. The personal links must not be shared with anyone else. The message will also include information on test sessions and support. The requirements for connecting to the virtual meetings include a personal computer with the latest version of the virtual meeting software and a good Internet connection. A high-quality headset with echo-cancelling microphones and a webcam are required in order to make interventions during the meetings. It is recommended to use a quiet, soundproof room for participation in the virtual meetings. Test sessions will be available prior to the actual sessions of the COP. The timing of test sessions will be included in the communication sent to participants following their registration. Participants are requested to conduct a test during one of the available test sessions prior to the beginning of the sessions. For the test, please use the equipment and the location to be used during the virtual meetings of COP9. List of participants A provisional list of participants will be available and posted on the WHO FCTC website at the opening of the session. This list will be issued on the basis of valid credentials received by the Convention Secretariat up to 12:00 on Sunday, 31 October 2021. A revised list will be issued at a later date. IT Support If you face any issue during the test sessions or live meetings, please contact the support team by email at: gbs-it-support@who.int or phone +41 22 791 2111 (the call centre staff will help connect participants to the support team). = = =