Statement on Behalf of Consumers International By Bejon Misra (India)

Consumers International Head Office 24, Highbury Cresent
London, N5 1RX, United Kingdom. Tel. No.: +44 207 226 6663 Fax No.: +44 207 354 0607
Email: consint@consint.org, Website: www.consumersinternational.org
Statement on Behalf of Consumers International By Bejon Misra (India) at the
Intergovernmental Working Group Meeting on FCTC at Geneva on 21-25 June 2004.
I speak on behalf of Consumers International, an international organization of more than 250 members in
120 countries with 70% membership from developing or least developed countries. Our delegations are
members of The Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT) and Framework Convention
Alliance (FCA). Let me on behalf of CI thank The Chair and WHO for giving me this opportunity to speak. CI
salutes the 21 Member States that have demonstrated their commitment towards consumers by ratifying
FCTC. We urge the all those countries that have signed but not ratified the FCTC to ratify on or before 29th
June 2004 and save millions of lives.
As representatives of consumers and, especially the poor and disadvantaged, we have an obligation to
ensure that their voice on the threat that the tobacco industry represents to their lives is loud and clear.
We are accountable to them. We need to go back home with clear tangible results as they will definitely ask
us what have we done for our children and future generations who are the biggest targets of the tobacco
industry and in particular the 2 billion people who are living below 1 US$ a day income. Yesterday, I heard
several studies conducted by WHO in developing countries, which have reinforced a direct link between
poverty and tobacco. Let us not waste our scarce resources and time and delay the process of the FCTC
ratification and implementation. I, on behalf of CI, once again urge those countries that have not ratified to
please do so by 29th June and bring the first health treaty to force, to protect the rights of the consumers.
The FCTC is a reality. What we all need to do in the next few days is to make sure that we all agree on the
implementation of the following:
1. The draft rules of procedure for the Conference of Parties must be amended to prevent commercial and
other vested interests of the tobacco industry from undermining FCTC implementation. Consistent with
the treaty and WHO precedents, Rule 30 on participation of observers should explicitly exclude
organizations affiliated with tobacco industry.
2. The rules should also ensure that we create such a secretariat that it is insulated from bureaucratic
processes and influence from wealthy countries. The secretariat should be able to function
independently with full funding and total autonomy. Professionals of high caliber should also manage
the secretariat with competence on the subject and people with track record with pro-poor attitude. The
secretariat must be made accountable towards the MDGs and it must be empowered to take decisions,
which are best for public health and the FCTC.
3. The funding mechanism suggested should be only from resources generated from taxes collected from
tobacco products and our appeal to all member states is to make sure we create such a mechanism
that we adopt the ‘Polluters Pay Principle’. All those countries that have enriched themselves from
tobacco sales should be made liable to fund the implementation of FCTC. Corporations that have
profited enormously from the tobacco epidemic should be obligated to contribute funds to help cover
tobacco-related health costs and the implementation of the FCTC. We all must make sure that countries
that are not parties to the FCTC should not be allowed to play any role concerning the funding
mechanism. We have observed that taxes on tobacco products around the world are still not high
enough to reduce consumption and there is sufficient scope to increase taxes on tobacco products
further to fund FCTC implementation.
The CI delegation is confident, Mr. Ambassador that once again, you would provide the same leadership,
which you demonstrated during the negotiations and prevail upon all member states to draft a proconsumer Rules of Procedure for the Conference of Parties. THANK YOU.
INTERVENCION DE YUL FRANCISCO DORADO EN REPRESENTACION DE
CONSUMERS INTERNATIONAL, OFICINA PARA AMERICA LATINA Y EL CARIBE.
Saludos señor Presidente, señoras y señores delegados del Grupo Intergubernamental de
Trabajo:
La Oficina para América Latina y el Caribe de CONSUMERS INTERNATIONAL, organización
que trabaja por la defensa y promoción de los derechos del consumidor; quiere resaltar el
amplio reconocimiento que el CONVENIO MARCO PARA EL CONTROL DEL TABACO realiza
a las Organizaciones No Gubernamentales al destacar su "contribución especial" en las
actividades de control y lo decisiva que ha sido su participación para la aprobación del convenio.
Este reconocimiento y la legitimidad de miles de organizaciones que con su trabajo luchan
contra el tabaco como causa creciente de muerte y enfermedades en el mundo, me permite
solicitar al Grupo Intergubernamental de Trabajo, a nombre de CONSUMERS INTERNATIONAL,
que al definir las reglas de procedimiento para la conferencia de las partes, se asegure la
participación de las organizaciones no gubernamentales en la implementación del CONVENIO
MARCO PARA EL CONTROL DEL TABACO, excluyendo expresamente, desde luego, aquellas
afiliadas o vinculadas a la industria tabacalera. Con esto se evita que las tabacaleras intenten
socavar o desvirtuar las actividades de control, como ya lo han pretendido hacer, no solo
creando ONGs, sino también acudiendo a estrategias de filantropía y marketing.
La decisión de participación de las ONGs de ninguna manera puede quedar supeditada a la
invitación del secretariado, como se propone en la regla 30 del proyecto de reglamento, como
tampoco se debe supeditar su acceso a la aprobación de las partes o a la cancelación de cuotas.
No nos podemos olvidar que el articulo 4 No. 7 del Convenio establece que la participación de la
sociedad civil es esencial, repito esencial, para conseguir el objetivo del Convenio y de sus
protocolos.
La participación que ya nos otorga el Convenio Marco, es un derecho que debe quedar
consagrado en las reglas de procedimiento, como observadores, con acceso a documentos
oficiales y agendas provisionales de la Conferencia de las Partes y órganos subsidiarios. Además
y para una efectiva participación debe consagrarse que las reuniones sean
publicas, consecuentes como somos con el carácter publico de la salud. Proteger lo publico,
señoras delegadas y delegados, es proteger el interés general y dar transparencia a los
procedimientos.
Finalmente nuestro llamado a todos los países del continente americano para que se proceda
rápidamente a la ratificación del Convenio Marco siguiendo el ejemplo de México y a que las
reglas que se aprueben garanticen en términos técnicos y financieros su rápida implementación,
definiendo instrumentos extraordinarios de apoyo y coordinación, ampliamente equitativos, para
los países que hoy acreditan elevados índices de pobreza, como son la mayoría de la región.
GRACIAS.