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Smoke Free Partnership Coalition Annual Meeting

The Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) organized the Coalition Annual Meeting on December 12, 2018 in the premises of the Coalition in Brussels. The meeting was attended by representatives of organizations that are Coalition members from 20 European countries and the USA. The representative of the Health Mission, the only participant from Serbia, was Ana Jovicevic.

Anca Toma Friedlander, President of the SFP, gave the overview of activities in 2018 and key priorities for the next year.

The participants briefly presented their national tobacco control activities and priorities, with special reports by representatives of Belgium, the Netherlands and Turkey.

Results of the survey on SFP Coalition partners interest in tobacco product taxation were also presented.

After the discussion, the following conclusions were made:

  1. There is overall support for the proposed SFP priorities at regional level for 2019.

Many coalition partners are interested in working on these priority goals that include the following issues:

  • tobacco taxation
  • fighting ilicit trade
  • research on tobacco control policy
  • improving and speeding up tobacco control
  • tobacco advertising and promotion ban at the national and European level
  • detection and prevention of tobacco industry interference, with cooperation and support of SFP members.
  1. SFP will continue to support all coalition partners in national advocacy on their key priorities
  2. In response to alarming reports from numerous partners, the SFP will work to raise awareness among European medical societies on the tobacco industry’s tactics to involve national medical societies in their discussions on tobacco control policy.
  3. The SFP will form several informal groups among coalition partners to focus and facilitate progress on shared priority topics. Groups will maintain contacts and conduct work through regular calls (several times a year).
  4. SFP will also strive to improve communication among partners and coordinate activities in priority campaigns through regular (quarterly) e-mails and calls.

A special challenge for the work of SFP in 2019 will be:

  • Brexit – in view of the significant role of UK organizations in the Coalition;
  • European elections – raising awareness of FCTC obligations and key tobacco control policies and priorities among new elected officials.

 

 

February 25, 2019                                               Report by Ana Jovićević