On 25 November 2015 a Commission Implementing Decision was adopted by the European Commission, which establishes a common format for the reporting of information on ingredients and emissions of tobacco products.

This Decision supports implementation of Directive 2014/40/EU, which entered into force 19 May 2014 and aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for tobacco and related products, while ensuring a high level of health protection for European citizens.

The Kingdom of Tonga is a Party to the Convention since 2005.

Although progress has been made in implementing some of the provisions of the WHO FCTC, such as increasing tobacco taxes, the smoking prevalence is still very high, especially among men (46%).

That is the reason why Tonga requested assistance from the Convention Secretariat  for conducting a joint needs assessment mission to plan future actions to strengthen implementation of the WHO FCTC.

The Government announced in October 2015 that tobacco packages in Nepal will carry pictorial health warnings covering 90% of the main surface areas, up from the previous 75%.

Nepal's pictorial warnings are the largest in the world; by size, the Nepalese warnings are followed by Australia's (82.5% in average, but please note than Australia has implemented plain packaging). Thailand and Uruguay require 80-85% warning size.

The legislative process leading to the ratification of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products has come to an end in France on 26 October 2015.

The French Parliament (agreed identically by the Assemblée Nationale and the Sénat) adopted a law to this end, which was then promulgated by the President. "LOI n° 2015-1350 du 26 octobre 2015 autorisant la ratification du protocole pour éliminer le commerce illicite des produits du tabac" is available under the following link: 

An implementing act adopted today lays out specifications for the new combined health warnings on packages of tobacco products for smoking (in particular cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco), which are required under the 2014 Tobacco Products Directive. 

The measure strengthens implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to which the European Union is a Party. 

On 7 October 2015 parliamentarians of the Healthcare Committee of the Ukrainian Parliament recommended the draft law 2820 "On the amendment of some laws protecting the public from the harmful effects of tobacco use" for its first hearing in the Parliament. 

From the 1st of October 2015 it is illegal to smoke in a car (or other vehicle) with anyone under 18. The law aims to protect children and young people from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

The law applies to every driver in England and Wales, including those aged 17 and those with a provisional driving licence.

The law does not apply to using e-cigarettes (vaping). 

For more details please go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/smoking-in-vehicles

A workshop was held on 2-3 June 2015 for government officials to promote implementation of Article 5.3 of the Convention. The workshop was one of the activities that followed the joint needs assessment exercise, undertaken jointly by the Government of Jamaica and the Convention Secretariat and its partners in August 2014.

The workshop was successful and made a tremendous impact. The main consultation session was held on the 2nd of June and featured participation of a wide range of stakeholders from various arms of the Government.

As part of efforts to reduce the consumption of tobacco products and its related health hazards, the Parliament of Ghana has approved an increase in tobacco taxes through the passage of the Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2015 into Law.

The Bill seeks to amend the first schedule of the Excise Duty Act, 2014 (Act 878) and proposes an increase the excise duty on cigarettes and cigars from 150 per cent of the ex-factory price to 170 per cent.