Joint action on strengthening cooperation on tobacco control between Member States and the European Commission

General objective of JATC2

The general objective of this project is to support the implementation of the European Tobacco Directive (TPD) and also the European Directive on Tobacco Advertising (TAD), to promote activities aligned with the objectives of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of the World Health Organization (WHO). JATC1 https://jaotc.eu/, has contributed to the implementation of certain areas of laboratory capacity, testing methods of tobacco products and related products, regulation of ingredients and has carried out agreements to share data contained in the Common Entry Gate of the European Union (EU-CEG) that allow the analysis of these. The JATC2 program builds on the results obtained by JATC1 and adds new pillars to it.

Specific objectives of JATC2

• Ensure effective coordination with special attention to digital tools that ensure the sustainability and progression of the project even in a world in crisis such as the current pandemic situation.
• Support the dissemination of information to the public, regulators and researchers.
• Integrate the results into national policies and ensure that the results of the project are sustainable once the project is completed.
• Facilitate the exchange of good practices among Member States in order to improve the implementation of TPD and delegated and implementation resolutions related to tobacco products and e-cigarettes, including laboratory capacity, analysis and assessment.
• Ensure greater consistency in the application of the TPD by ensuring a fair internal market for tobacco and related products, especially with regard to market surveillance and compliance.
• Promote activities aligned with the objectives of the WHO-FCTC to promote better implementation of the objectives of the FCTC itself.
• Identify and assess current legislation, concerning, but not limited to, tobacco advertising and other emerging products.
• Identify and develop best practices regarding tobacco’s end-of-play strategy and the expansion of smoke-free spaces.

The Tobacco Control Unit-Catalan Institute of Oncology, UCT-ICO participates in this project as leader of WP8 and also as national coordinator (Competent Authority in Spain). From Spain, 6 other entities participate in this JATC, 4 as affiliated entities (Bellvitge Research Institute, IDIBELL; International University of Catalonia, UIC; National Center for Tobacco Prevention, CNPT; Because we do, XQNS) and two as collaborators (Ministry of Health and Non-smokers).

Relevant outcomes

• Report on Barriers and opportunities for SAFE
• Report on SAFE best practices + Annex 1
• Annex 2 of the Report on SAFE best practices
• Report of symposium on SAFE best practices
• Web-based repository on SAFE
• Weight of evidence paper on barriers, opportunities and best practices for SAFE expansion and SHS/SHA exposure protection 
• Position paper on best practices for expansion of SAFE
• Video on the symposium on SAFE practices (ENGLISH)
• Video on the symposium on SAFE practices (SPANISH)
• Questionnaire for the SAFE consultation on barriers, opportunities and best practices
• Questionnaire for TAPS consultations on barriers, opportunities and best practices
• Protocol for the SAFE consultation
• TAPS report
• D8.3: Position Paper for a new TAD

 

Duration

36 months from 1/10/2021 to 30/09/2024

Funding

Concesión No. 101035968 Comisión Europea HaDEA (€3,124,999.51)

Coordination of JATC2:

Jakob Graulund Jørgensen (Danish Safety Technology Authority, Dinamarca)

JATC2 is constituted by:

• 9 work packages
• 21 participating European countries
• 36 participating institutions
• 13 collaborating partners

Research group (UCT):

Esteve Fernández (principal investigator of WP8); Dolors Carnicer-Pont; Olena Tigova

Project management structure and organizational chart

Competent institutions participating:

1. DSTA Sikkerhedsstyrelsen, Denmark
2. CIPH Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo, Croatia
3. NIJZ Nacionalni institut za javno zdravje, Slovenia
4. DGS Ministerio da saude – República portuguesa, Portugal
5. FPSH Service public federal santé publique, securité de la chaîne alimentaire et
   environnement, Belgium
6. ANSES Agence nationale de la securité sanitaire de l’alimentation de
   l’environnement et du travail, France
7. ISS Istituto superiore di sanita, Italy
8. NAAC Cyprus national addictions authority, Cyprus
9. THL Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos, Finland
10. HSE Health service executive, Ireland
11. NMoH The norwegian ministry of health and care services, Norway
12. FOHM Folkhalsomyndigheten, Sweden
13. RIVM Rijksinstituut voor volksgezondheid en milieu, Netherlands
14. TA Terviseamet, Estonia
15. NPHO Ethnikos organismos dimosias ygeias, Greece
16. OKPI Orszagos koranyi pulmonologiai intezet, Hungary
17. IPHS Institut za zastitu zdravlja srbijedr milan jovanovic batut, Serbia
18. AGES Osterreichische agentur fur gesundheit und ernahrungssicherheit gmbh,
    Austria
19. BFR Bundesinstitut fuer risikobewertung, Germany
20. ICO Institut catala d’oncologia, Spain
21. NTAKD Narkotiku tabako ir alkoholio kontroles departamentas, Lithuania

Work packages

Title of the work package (WP)	Overall objective of the work package	Work Package Leader
WP1 Coordination	Coordinate the project implementation	DSTA Denmark
WP2 Dissemination	Maximize the impact of the project by consulting the actors involved and disseminate the results of the project to the target audiences	NPHO Greece
WP3 Evaluation	Evaluate the results of JATC2	AGES Austria
WP4 Sustainability and cooperation across Europe	Ensure sustainability during and after the completion of JATC2 by strengthening the cooperation of competent authorities for the harmonized implementation of compliance with the TPD and TAD	ISS Italy
WP5 Analysis of EU-CEG data and strengthening laboratory capacity for regulatory purposes	Support Member States and their competent authorities to use the information provided by tobacco companies to the common database (EU-CEG) and strengthen compliance with the rules	ANSES France
WP6 Reinforcement to ensure compliance with tobacco regulations	Strengthen the capacities of Member States to enforce regulations, sharing common experiences, challenges and solutions.	DSTA Denmark
WP7 Health Impact and Regulatory Implications of E-Cigarettes and Novel Tobacco Products (TCNs)	Increase knowledge and understanding of the properties, health impact and regulatory implications of novel tobacco products (TCNs) and e-cigarettes.	RIVM Netherlands
WP8 Legislation on Smoke-Free Spaces (SFE) and Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship of Tobacco Products (TAPS)	Identify and select best practices to address the challenges of achieving smoke-free spaces (SFE) in Europe (FCTC Art. 8) and evaluate the implementation and impact of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship in Europe (FCTC Art.13)	ICO Spain
WP9 Best practices for the development of an effective and comprehensive end-of-tobacco strategy.	Identify national tobacco strategies, explore and exchange best practices in the development, implementation and evaluation of such strategies and policies for their development	THL Finland

 

Expected results and benefits of the project

The expected results of this project are:

• • A friendlier EU-CEG interface, which will promote its wider use
  • A sustainable EU-CEG data sharing plan, which will facilitate the use of a wider audience, especially researchers
  • A harmonised approach to market surveillance and enforcement, which will strengthen consumer protection and ensure a fairer internal market.
  • A recommendation to update tobacco advertising standards, which means less exposure to unaccepted commercial activities, a decrease in new smokers and the total prevalence of smokers
  • A harmonised approach to establishing smoke-free spaces (SFE) that will decrease exposure to second-hand smoke
  • A strategy to end tobacco that achieves a smoke-free generation and a decrease in smoke-related diseases and deaths tobacco.