Emma McClarkin (ECR), in writing. ‒ Colleagues, I am happy to have been given the opportunity to support this consent procedure.

The World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is a global response to a global epidemic of tobacco consumption, and the first of its kind.

Meanwhile, and as a part of this, the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products introduces important cross-governmental measures that establishes a framework for a secure supply chain of tobacco products. This includes information-sharing through a global tracking and tracing scheme as well as the sharing of best practices in licensing, technical and law enforcement cooperation and legal and administrative assistance. Working together on this basis is the only effective way of preventing the flow of illicit goods that are placed on the black market at a cheaper price, but which most importantly are unregulated and can cause even greater harm to health than traditional tobacco products.

Eliminating the flow of these goods will have beneficial effects for world health and I hope that by ratifying this deal the Parliament can encourage other Parties to help reach the 40 signatures needed for the agreement to enter into force.