Page 142 - TAIWAN TOBACCO CONTROL ANNUAL REPORT 2019

140 In order to eliminate illicit trade in tobacco products, the FCTC formulated the "Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products" in the 5th session of the Meeting of the Parties on November 12, 2012, creating a new milestone for combating the global illegal trade of tobacco products. The WHO FCTC passed the first protocol, and will establish a global tracking and investigation system for tobacco products, as well as providing support for licensing, a responsibility system, information sharing, and legal assistance in compliance with the content of the protocol. The protocol entered into force in June 2018 and the Meeting of the Parties (MOP 1) was held in Geneva for the first time from October 8, 2018 to October 10, 2018. The key elements of the meeting are as follows: 1. Representatives of Parties emphasized the importance of fighting against the illicit trade of tobacco products. 2. An information sharing and drafting team will be set up by the EU, Brazil, and other Parties in order to create an information-sharing model for research and relative support. 3. An online forum is proposed to be set up to exchange information and fight against the global illicit trade in tobacco products in cooperation with the Intergovernmental Organization (IGO), and avoid the influence of tobacco companies acting in their own interest in accordance with Article 5.3 of the FCTC. 4. A work team will be set up to discuss and establish relevant mechanisms based on the EU’s draft of the Tracking and Tracing System (including the global information-sharing focal point, as well as cigarette boxes and packets to be marked with unique identifiers), which will be submitted in the MOP2 for discussion. 5. The protocol is integrated with three main issues including information sharing, international assistance and cooperation, and mutual administrative assistance plus legal assistance. The core elements include information sharing, protecting the privacy of sensitive data, the working group, and related schedules. Matters related to the provisions of free zones and international transit, international assistance, and international cooperation will be incorporated in the agenda, which will be submitted in the MOP2 for discussion. In the future, we will continue to actively participate in international health affairs, promote health matters together with countries around the world, adjust Taiwan’s tobacco hazard prevention policies to be consistent with FCTC regulations, and reduce the smoking rate together with departments, the community, and academic institutions, in order to protect the health of citizens and become a model for other countries around the world. International Conference on Tobacco Control The 17th World Conference on Tobacco or Health, 17th WCTOH The 17th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (17th WCTOH) sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) took place in Cape Town, South Africa from March 6 to March 9, 2018. The conference is organized once every three years to gather public health professionals in tobacco hazard prevention. The theme of the conference is: "Uniting the world for a Tobacco- Free Generation", which is participated in by more than 150 countries and more than 2,000 tobacco hazard prevention experts, researchers, nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, medical professionals, and government departments to organize and discuss tobacco hazard prevention. The conference not only shows the WHO’s specific position and discloses the new