BRAZIL TO DEPOSIT 100TH RATIFICATION OF WHO FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL ON 3 NOVEMBER

BRAZIL TO DEPOSIT 100TH RATIFICATION OF WHO FRAMEWORK CONVENTION

ON TOBACCO CONTROL ON 3 NOVEMBER

NEW YORK, 3 November (UN Office of Legal Affairs) -- Brazil deposited today its instrument of ratification to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control -- the 100th ratification, acceptance or accession to the Convention that has been received.

This is the first treaty concluded under the auspices of WHO, the United Nations specialized agency for health, and it has quickly become one of the most rapidly embraced United Nations treaties.  The Convention seeks to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke by providing a framework for tobacco control measures.

The Convention’s provisions set international standards on tobacco price and tax increases, tobacco advertising and sponsorship, labelling, illicit trade and second-hand tobacco smoke, among others.  The treaty also sets forth a requirement to cooperate with other Parties on scientific research and technical assistance.  Uniquely, article 19 encourages Parties to bring their national laws in line with the Convention and cooperate with each other on criminal and civil liability for tobacco control.

The 100th State party has no legal ramifications under the Convention’s provisions but it is a significant milestone -- in particular given the fact that it was adopted a mere two and a half years ago.  It is notable that Brazil’s ratification is being deposited this year, as the Convention was one of the treaties featured in the Treaty Event held at the United Nations during the 2005 World Summit.  Brazil chaired the six sessions of negotiations for the Convention.

The final text of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was approved on 1 March 2003.  The Treaty was adopted by the fifty-sixth World Health Assembly in May 2003.  It opened for signature and ratification a month later, on 16 June 2003.  After only 17 months, on 29 November 2004, it had received 40 ratifications, acceptances or accessions, which triggered its entry into force on 27 February 2005.

For more information, please contact Palitha Kohona, Chief, Treaty Section, Office of Legal Affairs, tel.:  (212) 963-5048, e-mail:  kohona@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record