Projet de loi portant assentiment à la Convention-cadre de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé pour la lutte antitabac, adoptée à Genève le 21 mai 2003.
General information ¶
- Submitted by
-
The Senate
- Submission date
- May 12, 2004
- Official page
- Visit
- Status
- Adopted
- Requirement
- Simple
- Subjects
- World Health Organisation international agreement smoking tobacco public health
Voting ¶
- Voted to adopt
- CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP Open Vld MR FN VB
Contact form ¶
Do you have a question or request regarding this proposition? Select the most appropriate option for your request and I will get back to you shortly.
Discussion ¶
July 15, 2004 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)
Full source
Rapporteur Geert Lambert ⚙
Given the late hour, I will be fairly short. The report I am presenting refers to the statement of the Minister. He emphasized the importance of this framework agreement. It is the first framework agreement within the framework of the WMO with a normative purpose. It is an important agreement, only given the number of deaths that fall annually as a result of tobacco use. Belgium alone counts about 20,000 per year.
The document provides about six types of measures. Almost all of these measures have already been transposed into legislation in Belgium. These include financial and fiscal measures, protection against passive smoking, packaging and labelling, restriction of advertising, illegal trade and measures relating to minors. Colleague Vautmans took the floor. She pointed out that she herself is a smoking star. I am not that. It was not a cigarette smoker. She worried that smoking should not really become a luxury product. The minister guaranteed that it is not directly intended to raise the price of cigarettes because Belgium would not be able to import it alone. We must take into account the neighboring countries and at the same time the social implications. On the other hand, the minister has already pointed out that, for example, smaller packaging is not allowed in Belgium.
A second concern of Ms. Vautmans was the sponsorship of sports and cultural events. The Minister referred to the European Framework Agreement. This is a directive that would normally come into force on 31 July 2005.
In the end, the bill was unanimously adopted. After that, the members could go to the coffee and smoking room.
Given the late hour, I will be fairly short. The report I am presenting refers to the statement of the Minister. He emphasized the importance of this framework agreement. It is the first framework agreement within the framework of the WMO with a normative purpose. It is an important agreement, only given the number of deaths that fall annually as a result of tobacco use. Belgium alone counts about 20,000 per year.
The document provides about six types of measures. Almost all of these measures have already been transposed into legislation in Belgium. These include financial and fiscal measures, protection against passive smoking, packaging and labelling, restriction of advertising, illegal trade and measures relating to minors. Colleague Vautmans took the floor. She pointed out that she herself is a smoking star. I am not that. It was not a cigarette smoker. She worried that smoking should not really become a luxury product. The minister guaranteed that it is not directly intended to raise the price of cigarettes because Belgium would not be able to import it alone. We must take into account the neighboring countries and at the same time the social implications. On the other hand, the minister has already pointed out that, for example, smaller packaging is not allowed in Belgium.
A second concern of Ms. Vautmans was the sponsorship of sports and cultural events. The Minister referred to the European Framework Agreement. This is a directive that would normally come into force on 31 July 2005.
In the end, the bill was unanimously adopted. After that, the members could go to the coffee and smoking room.
Muriel Gerkens Ecolo ⚙
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the vote on this Framework Convention for the fight against tobacco because it will encourage us to further develop our tobacco prevention and control policies.
In this context, I would like to ask a question to the Minister. He will probably answer to me that he only deals with the public fund that was created to fight against smoking and which has been endowed with one million since July 1. But there is also this famous Rodin Foundation who had submitted a request to be recognized as a public utility body. I took advantage of the presence of the Minister of Justice just recently to ask him where was the examination of this application for recognition as a public utility organization with the mission of prevention studies, the evaluation of the measures taken and the individual accompaniment of persons in insured situation. She responded that she had asked for the opinion of the Minister of Finance and that of the Minister of Health.
Now, I would have liked to know the response given by the Minister of Health to this request for recognition, given that it is completely contrary to Article 12 of the Framework Convention on which we are going to speak, since it clearly requires States not to organize and not to allow tasks to be taken over by bodies financed by tobacco companies.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the vote on this Framework Convention for the fight against tobacco because it will encourage us to further develop our tobacco prevention and control policies.
In this context, I would like to ask a question to the Minister. He will probably answer to me that he only deals with the public fund that was created to fight against smoking and which has been endowed with one million since July 1. But there is also this famous Rodin Foundation who had submitted a request to be recognized as a public utility body. I took advantage of the presence of the Minister of Justice just recently to ask him where was the examination of this application for recognition as a public utility organization with the mission of prevention studies, the evaluation of the measures taken and the individual accompaniment of persons in insured situation. She responded that she had asked for the opinion of the Minister of Finance and that of the Minister of Health.
Now, I would have liked to know the response given by the Minister of Health to this request for recognition, given that it is completely contrary to Article 12 of the Framework Convention on which we are going to speak, since it clearly requires States not to organize and not to allow tasks to be taken over by bodies financed by tobacco companies.
Minister Rudy Demotte ⚙
My point of view remains completely identical to the one I had previously developed on this subject.
We have a public fund and only one, funded probably very modestly at first, but we already have the ambition to double it next year. He is the one I obviously support.
As for this convention, it is known to all, its terms are known and it has been approved by the government.
I think this is enough as a response.
My point of view remains completely identical to the one I had previously developed on this subject.
We have a public fund and only one, funded probably very modestly at first, but we already have the ambition to double it next year. He is the one I obviously support.
As for this convention, it is known to all, its terms are known and it has been approved by the government.
I think this is enough as a response.
Muriel Gerkens Ecolo ⚙
Mr. Minister, since I cannot obtain a clearer answer, I allow myself to deduce that you gave a negative opinion to the Minister of Justice, stating to her that the Rodin Foundation should not be recognized as a public utility body. I hope I am not mistaken in my reasoning.
Mr. Minister, since I cannot obtain a clearer answer, I allow myself to deduce that you gave a negative opinion to the Minister of Justice, stating to her that the Rodin Foundation should not be recognized as a public utility body. I hope I am not mistaken in my reasoning.