{Challenging Big Tobacco} with the Global Tobacco Treaty

“Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC, on the protection of public health policy from tobacco industry interference, is one of the cornerstones of the treaty. Corporate Accountability International has been an active partner not only by providing expert guidance, but also by challenging the tobacco industry directly and making sure that the Article 5.3 guidelines addressed the concerns of people around the world.”

– Dr. Haik Nikogosian, Head of Secretariat, World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

The Global Tobacco Treaty

The global tobacco treaty, formally known as The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), is the world's first public health and corporate accountability treaty. It took effect five years ago as international law on February 27, 2005. It has been ratified by over 165 countries, making it one of the most rapidly embraced United Nations treaties of all time. The global tobacco treaty, which now protects 86 percent of the world’s people, will save millions of lives.

Strong Guidelines to Stop Tobacco Industry Interference

In 2008, Corporate Accountability International and its allies helped secure precedent-setting treaty guidelines to prevent Big Tobacco from interfering in health policy. The guidelines establish the tobacco industry’s fundamental conflict of interest with public health and encourage governments to reject partnerships with the industry and “revolving doors” between industry and regulatory agencies.

Supporting Article 5.3 of the treaty, the guidelines also address issues of transparency, so-called corporate social responsibility, and beyond. And since the adoption of guidelines, they are already having an impact. To read about Article 5.3 and recent victories, click on one of the below:

5.3 Victories

Fact Sheet on Article 5.3

Text of Article 5.3

Christian Science Monitor report following the adoption of Article 5.3

Quotes from world leaders following the adoption of Article 5.3

Status of the Global Tobacco Treaty

Here you will find an up to date list of each country's ratification status on the global tobacco treaty. Now that it has taken effect as international law, the treaty is dramatically changing the way tobacco corporations do business in ratifying countries. But the tobacco industry will not give in without a fight. We are working with allies in the U.S. and internationally to ensure the treaty is enforced and to assist countries in ratification and implementation.

Implementation & Enforcement

Today, the most serious threat to this groundbreaking treaty is the tobacco industry. If Philip Morris International and other tobacco giants have their way, enforcement of the treaty will be watered down and riddled with loopholes.

History of the Global Tobacco Treaty

The World Health Assembly (WHA) called for development of the world's first public health treaty to control the spread of tobacco addiction in 1996, and set the negotiating process in motion in 1999. World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland put the global tobacco treaty on a "fast track," with the goal of adopting the treaty by May 2003. Member states overcame opposition from the tobacco transnationals and their allies to meet that challenge.

FCTC News

The Secretariat of the WHO FCTC publishes a quarterly newsletter, which includes information about the Conference of the Parties, party reporting and the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body toward an illicit trade protocol to the FCTC, a schedule of upcoming meetings on the treaty, and updates on new legislation to implement the treaty domestically. Check the most recent edition out online at: http://www.who.int/fctc/issue2_2009.pdf.