The McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub on trade and tobacco in coordination with the WHO Regional Office for Europe, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation jointly conducted an Intensive legal training and capacity-building workshop for law and NCDs for NIS countries in Moscow, Russian Federation from 30 May to 3 June 2016.

On 25 May 2016, the Official Gazette of the Republic of Vanuatu published the amendment to the country’s Tobacco Control Regulation Act.

Vanuatu now requires graphic health warnings to occupy at least 90% of the principal display surface on the front and back; 30% text and 60% image. This is the biggest coverage of graphic health warnings in the Pacific Islands and equals in size the world record size warning of Nepal.

At the Council of Ministers' meeting, held on the morning of 18 May, Marisol Touraine, Minister of Social Affairs and Health, presented the order transposing the EU directive to strengthen France's anti-smoking efforts, and reminded of the introduction of plain packaging on 20 May. "France is now a pioneer of the anti-smoking campaign in Europe", the Minister said. 

A ban on the use ENDS/ENNDS in all work places and public places where traditional smoking tobacco products are banned, including outdoor places where smoking bans apply (e.g, playgrounds). The ban enters into force on 20 May.

The ban covers all electronic cigarettes irrespective whether they contain nicotine or not.

Additionally, also from 20 May, ENDS/ENNDS can only be sold in special tobacconists shops.

The Ministry of Finance of Peru increased the specific excise on cigarettes from 0.07 soles per stick to 0.18 soles per stick, representing an increase of 157%. The tax increase implemented now builds upon a proposal developed by the Ministry of Finance in 2014, following the needs assessment mission of the Convention Secretariat and its partners in late 2013, and a subsequent post needs assessment mission of the World Bank.

The WHO Region for Africa organized a workshop in Harare, Zimbabwe, on illicit trade in tobacco products. Participants from 10 countries participated, as follows: Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda, Seychelles, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Ukrainian Parliament adopted a Declaration on the 10th anniversary of the ratification of WHO FCTC by the country. All members of the Parliament Health Committee signed an Act which purpose is to evaluate the implementation of the WHO FCTC by Ukraine, and to identify the tobacco control goals and objectives to reduce smoking prevalence and mortality from diseases associated with tobacco use in the country.

On 11 April 2016, the Council of Ministers of Gabon has adopted five decrees (regulations) related to the implementation of the country's 2013 anti-tobacco act (please see details at: http://apps.who.int/fctc/implementation/database/sites/implementation/files/documents/reports/gabon_annex3_anti_tobacco_act_2013.pdf).

The regulations cover the following areas:

At its sixth session in Moscow, 2014, the Conference of the Parties recognized smokeless tobacco use as a global health problem. Smokeless tobacco is a risk factor of many non-communicable diseases, and the Conference of the Parties, in its decision, emphasised the importance of developing and enforcing policies on this matter. Consequently, Parties felt the need to establish a global knowledge hub to support the work of controlling smokeless tobacco use.

On 5 April 2016, the Minister of Information issued a ministerial decision banning all forms of tobacco advertising and promotion that could be read, seen, listened to, including those published in electronic media. This means that all radio stations, TV channels, newspapers and online publishing houses in the Sultanate are now prohibited from advertising any form of tobacco products. The ministerial decision was published in the Official Gazette on 10 April 2016 and entered into force on the day after.