407Historical moment: towards Smoke Free Ukraine. On June 13, 2012 President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych signed the Law of Ukraine № 4844-VI «On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine to improve certain provisions of the limitation of smoking tobacco”. The Law will get into effect in Dec, 16 of 2012. According to the law smoking will be completely banned in all public indoor places including hospitality industry (except of hotels), cultural institutions, governmental and administrative buildings and sport facilities
Getting ready for anti-tobacco legislation implementation. NGO “Life” and Coalition “For Smoke Free Ukraine” developed an enforcement strategy for better implementation of upcoming Anti-tobacco legislation. Thus a comprehensive join strategy plan was adopted by active coalition members that include cooperation with implementation and controlling agencies, active information and public awareness campaigns and monitoring. By the end of the year Ukraine will see three law into effect: starting September 16th Ukraine will see the Comprehensive Tobacco Advertising Ban (#3778) into effect, starting October 1st Ukraine introduces pictorial warnings on packs of cigarettes and Comprehensive Smoke Free Law will get into effect on December 17th.
Cooperation with State Inspection for Consumer Rights Protection. Life developed effective cooperation with the key tobacco control enforcement agency to launch a joint monitoring plan and achieve effective implementation rates of legislative acts. Thus, on August 6 Life, Media Law Institute and State Inspection for Consumer Rights Protection held a joint press conference on the importance of tobacco control legislation implementation and cooperation with NGOs in this essence. The Head of the Inspection signed a Memorandum of cooperation with key NGOs. The press conference was followed by a seminar for 27 heads of local departments of the Inspection.
Tax increase is underway. Inter-Party Parliamentary Group “For Ukraine’s future without tobacco» which united 66 Members of Parliament published a report of the first half of 2012. During the tenth session of the Verkhovna Rada deputies together with the public have made historic achievements: the adoption of laws to prohibit of all forms of tobacco advertising and the comprehensive smoking ban in all public and working places.
http://portal.rada.gov.ua/rada/control/uk/publish/article/news_left?art_id=315584&cat_id=37486
On July 5th, 2012 Life in cooperation with Inter-Party Parliamentary Group registered a Draft Law on tax increase (№ 10712). The Draft Law proposes tobacco tax increase for 30-35%.
Shameful Leadership. According to the World Customs Organization annual report «Customs and Tobacco Report 2011″ Ukraine holds the world title as a champion of smuggled cigarettes to other countries. In 2011, Ukraine has again become a “winner” of this smuggling competition: over 115 large parties of cigarettes produced in Ukraine were confiscated. Russia took the second place with 63 parties. The crucial reasons for upholding this shameful position are comparatively low prices for cigarettes in Ukraine and corruption in Ukrainian Customs Service.