FEBRUARY 2012 -On 27 February 2012 the Costa Rican parliament adopted a new tobacco-control act that replaces legislation in force since 1995, with a view to ensuring implementation of the WHO FCTC. The new act introduces strong tobacco-control measures such as: 
- a complete ban on smoking in all workplaces and public places, including restaurants and bars; 
- increasing the size of health warnings, so that they occupy 50% of principal display areas of packages;
- including pictures and pictograms in health warnings; 

FEBRUARY 2012 - On 8 February 2012 the Government of the Republic of Moldova approved the National Action Plan on Tobacco Control 2012-2016, which contains measures to ensure full compliance with the WHO FCTC. The WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Convention Secretariat supported development of the Action Plan.

JANUARY 2012 - On 6 January 2012 Turkmenistan adopted, through a Presidential Order, the National Action Plan on Tobacco Control 2012-2016. The Action Plan covers six main areas:

DECEMBER 2011 - On 26 December 2011, a Government decree on the introduction of combined text and picture health warnings was published in the National Gazette. The decree, which entered into force on 1 January 2012, requires all tobacco products manufactured after 1 September 2012 to carry the combined warnings. From 1 January 2013, only tobacco products packaged and labelled in this way can be sold on the territory of Hungary. Details of brand, manufacturer, country of origin and the number of pieces or weight must be provided on packaging.

OCTOBER 2011 -With a view to ensuring the effective implementation of the country's 2010 tobacco control act, on 30 October 2011 the Council of Ministers adopted three decrees on: 
- the creation, powers, composition and functioning of the National Committee for Tobacco Control. The Committee will be multisectoral in its composition and will assist the Ministry of Health in implementing the WHO FCTC; 
- defining and regulating smoking in public places and public transport; and 
- packaging and labelling of tobacco products.

DECEMBER 2011 - On 15 December 2011 the Government of Brazil enacted a new law that protects the health of its more than 190 million inhabitants by prohibiting smoking in all enclosed collective-use spaces both public and private. Signed by President Dilma Rousseff, the new law makes Brazil the largest country in the world to declare all workplaces and indoor public spaces 100 percent smoke-free.

AUGUST 2011 - In August 2011, the tobacco control directorate of the Ministry of Health organized, for the first time in the country, a workshop on smoking cessation.

NOVEMBER 2011 - On 11 November 2011, Serbia celebrated the first anniversary of full enforcement of the Law on the Protection of the Population from Exposure to Tobacco Smoke. Among other measures, the law prohibits smoking in offices and public areas and strengthens the national coordination mechanism and infrastructure for implementation of the WHO FCTC in the country. On this occasion the Head of the Convention Secretariat, Dr Haik Nikogosian, was invited to visit the country.

NOVEMBER 2011 -Since 14 November 2011, the depiction of tobacco products in films and on television has been subject to new regulations. Anti-tobacco health spots or messages must now be shown during all films or programmes that depict tobacco products or their use. In addition, during any such depiction, anti-tobacco health warnings must be shown at the bottom of the screen.

NOVEMBER 2011 - On 1 November 2011, the Government of the United Arab Emirates approved a new regulation requiring that health warnings on cigarette packets include graphic pictures covering half of the packet. The regulation also bans the use of misleading terms such as "smooth, "silky", "light" or similar words characterizing the product. More information is available from Dr. Wedad AL-Maidoor, head of the tobacco control team of the Ministry of Health (wddalmaidoor@yahoo.com).