204April 13, 2016. Members of Ukrainian Parliament adopted the Declaration of the 10th anniversary of WHO FCTC ratification by Ukraine. Ukraine has considerably improved its tobacco control legislation and demonstrated significant progress in curbing tobacco epidemic, since 2006 when the WHO FCTC was ratified.
Almost all forms of tobacco advertising, sponsorship and marketing were banned, graphic health warnings were introduced, all working places became “smoke free”, cigarettes became less affordable due to considerable excise tax increase.
“232 MPs supported the Declaration. All members of the Parliament Health Committee signed this Act. The purpose of this Declaration is to evaluate the implementation of the WHO FCTC by Ukraine, and to identify the tobacco control goals and objectives to reduce smoking prevalence and mortality from diseases associated with tobacco use in Ukraine”, – stated Oleg Musii, MP, Head of the Parliament Inter-Party Group on Non-Communicable Diseases.
However, the Declaration recognizes the realization of the WHO FCTC Article 5 “General obligations” as unsatisfactory and recommends to develop and implement the State social program on reducing of tobacco harmful effect on population health and assistance in smoking cessation.
The Declaration encourages more effective enforcement of the current legislation, particularly concerning Article 8 and Article 13 of WHO FCTC in Ukraine. The Ukrainian Parliament also stressed the necessity to implement Article 5.3, which encourages the Parties of Convention to protect their policies in public health from influence of commercial and other corporate interests of tobacco industry.
“Members of Ukrainian Parliament confirmed Ukraine’s course for European Union integration in public health sector, and in order to protect future generations from tobacco – commited to support improvements to legislation according to EU TPD directive and harmonization of tobacco taxes with EU”, – added Andrii Skipalskyi, Head of tobacco-control NGO Advocacy Center “LIFE”.
The commitment expressed by MPs should increase the fulfillment of Article 6 (tobacco taxation) and Article 9, 10 and 11 concerning tobacco additives, flavorings, content disclosure and increase of graphic health warnings size.
The Parliament also expressed gratitude to the international organizations such as Whold Health Orgniazation, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and World Bank for their leadding role in combating tobacco epidemcs worldwide and in Ukraine particularly.
Contact us:
NGO Advocacy Center LIFE
Ukrainian Center for Tobacco Control
Andriy Skipalskyi, andriy@center-life.org
Text of the Declaration in Ukrainianhttp://w1.c1.rada.gov.ua/pls/zweb2/webproc4_1?pf3511=58242
Text of the Declaration in English http://bit.ly/23x9GFk