The deadline for countries to ratify the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control will expire on 8 November 2005.

Countries must deposit the instrument of ratification (or equivalent) in New York by that date to participate with full powers in the first Conference of the Parties (COP), which whose first session will take place in Geneva from 6 to 17 February 2006. A country becomes a contracting party to the FCTC 90 days after the deposit of a valid instrument of ratification or equivalent at the UN headquarters in New York.
During the first COP, parties will take decisions in technical, procedural and financial matters relating to the implementation of the treaty such as the establishment of the permanent secretariat, funding and financial support and monitoring and reporting on implementation progress among others.
The FCTC currently has 89 Parties. Another 105 countries are eligible to become parties to the treaty. The FCTC has provisions that set international standards on tobacco price and tax increases, tobacco advertising and sponsorship, labelling, illicit trade and second-hand tobacco smoke among others. (ci)