Professor Andrew Higgins presents report at WHO tobacco control conference

Professor Andrew Higgins of the Faculty of Law addressed the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP11) to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) last month in Geneva.

The WHO FCTC was the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO and provides a global public health and regulatory strategy in the context of increasing tobacco use. To date, 180 countries worldwide have ratified the WHO FCTC.

At COP11, Professor Higgins acted as Chair of the Expert Group on Article 19 (Liability), which requires parties to consider, where necessary, taking legislative action or promoting their existing laws to deal with criminal and civil liability related to tobacco control, including compensation where appropriate. It also encourages cooperation among parties, including the provision of assistance in relation to legal proceedings.  

The Expert Group produced a report examining practices that have evolved at party level and in relevant international fora. The report contained 30 recommendations on ways parties could strengthen their implementation of Article 19. Professor Higgins presented the Expert Group's report at COP11, and many of the 160 state parties in attendance addressed the report and issues of liability more generally. The Conference then adopted a decision inviting parties to consider the recommendations.

"These important decisions made by parties to the Convention will contribute towards saving millions of lives in the years to come and protecting the planet from the environmental harms of tobacco," said Andrew Black, Acting Head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC.