Duty-free tobacco sales under fire at WHO meeting

Nicole Mezzasalma

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Sales of tobacco products to international travellers were targeted during the opening statements of the World Health Organization’s negotiations on illicit trade

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Negotiating Body meeting (INB3) to discuss the protocol to combat illicit trade in tobacco products opened yesterday (June 28) in Geneva, with duty-free sales to international travellers under fire. The WHO’s South East Asia Region, which includes Thailand, India and Sri Lanka, reiterated their call to ban all duty-free tobacco sales during the event’s opening statements. A statement by the Maldives representative on behalf of the group, backed by the Philippines, pushed for an end to all tobacco sales to international travellers.

Several countries defended the duty-free industry in response, in particular Cuba, which said the purpose of the protocol was to combat illicit trade and not hurt legitimate businesses, and the UAE, which said that further reflection was needed before a full ban on duty-free tobacco sales is implemented.

Anti-smoking group Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) also targeted duty-free in its opening lobbying addresses, awarding Cuba the “dirty ashtray award” for its defence of the duty-free industry. Meanwhile, European Travel Retail Council secretary general Keith Spinks and Jon Kent of International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores are both in Geneva at the negotiations as representatives of the travel-retail business.

Hume Brophy Communications partner John Hume said: “Reports from around the world are positive, with many governments recognising that there is no reason whatsoever for sales to international travellers to be restricted by a protocol designed to combat illicit trade in tobacco products. On the flip side, the FCA has not pulled any punches in its demands to end the sale of duty free tobacco. We fully expect a battle this week.”

The INB3 negotiations are scheduled to end on Sunday July 5.