FRANCE. Delegates to the TFWA World Exhibition are urged to attend the Duty Free Tobacco Campaign Workshop, where they will be briefed on the latest issues being addressed by the Campaign team.
The Workshop will be held on Tuesday 1 November in the Palais, Auditorium 1, beginning with coffee at 09.00.
This year the Workshop takes on a new format. Following a brief review of the latest status of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) treaty from global campaign co-ordinator Keith Spinks, a panel of representatives from regional trade associations will present an overview of the latest situation in countries in their regions.
The panel discussion, to be moderated by Doug Newhouse, Editor of Travel Retail Business magazine, will include short reports from representatives from ASUTIL, MEDFA, APTRA and the ETRC (participants will be confirmed shortly), followed by a Q & A session.
Since the WHO’s tobacco treaty became international law in February 2005 there has been a noticeable increase in activity by the tobacco control community, urging governments to take action to implement its legal provisions. In some cases they are also advocating even stronger measures than those required by the treaty, including action to ban or restrict duty free tobacco sales.
An outright ban on duty free sales is the ultimate goal of the WHO, but the trade should also be concerned about measures being proposed in some countries to restrict the merchandising of tobacco products in duty free outlets, such as a ban on self-service retailing or restricting the display of tobacco products in shops.
MORE STORIES ON THE THREAT TO TOBACCO
UK medical boss slams cross-border tobacco allowances – 20/07/05
Singapore tobacco workshop focuses on Asia threat – 04/05/05
ETRC tobacco campaign garners vital Asian support – 15/04/05
