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Malawi slams proposed EU tobacco directive

Gwengwe: Anti-tobacco laws are trade restrictive
Gwengwe: Anti-tobacco laws are trade restrictive

Malawi Minister of Industry and Trade Sosten Gwengwe has criticised the proposed adoption of the revised Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) by its key trading partner, the European Union (EU).

Gwengwe predicts that if implemented, the directive would be catastrophic to least developed countries (LDCs) such as Malawi which depend on the manufacturing of tobacco products as a key tool for poverty reduction.

“Among the many developments that have taken place in the international market is the proposed adoption of the revised tobacco products directive. The EU’s proposed TPD would undermine the economic growth of least developed countries. The consequences of adopting this would be unthinkable,” he said in Lilongwe on Friday when he officially opened a day-long seminar on the developments in the international market affecting tobacco trade.

The EU maintains that while the overall objective of the revision is to improve the functioning of the internal market, it is expected that the revised legislation would help in improving public health.

But Gwengwe noted that of late, there have been a lot of developments in the global market that have had a negative impact on tobacco trade.

The minister said Malawi as a tobacco producing country is concerned about the adverse effects of such developments on Malawian economy.

“Most countries are adopting anti-tobacco laws which are not only trade restrictive but also negatively impact the competitiveness of countries such as Malawi in international trade,” he said.

EU legislation not an appropriate international model: Munthali
EU legislation not an appropriate international model: Munthali

In Malawi tobacco, farming is still a major source of livelihood for many farmers estimated at about 1.5 million people and tobacco also contributes significantly to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and it is a major export commodity.

Gwengwe said the exports of tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes accounted for around 52 percent of total Malawi exports in 2012, adding that Malawi’s exports to the EU accounted for about 26 percent of the country’s exports to the world.

He also deplored the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Articles 9 and 10 whose guidelines for implementation borrow from the revised TPD, saying the guidelines prohibits the use of many flavours and other additives in tobacco products with the objective of ‘protecting’ youths from tobacco marketing.

“Malawi is very concerned about this legislation as it effectively bans the manufacture and sale of traditional-blended cigarettes, including those produced with burley tobacco,” said Gwengwe.

Tobacco Control Commission TCC) chief executive officer Bruce Munthali said although Malawi considers the objective of reducing the incentives for young people to smoke to be legitimate, the country believes that the EU-proposed legislation is not an appropriate international model as it is not based upon any meaningful scientific assessment.

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3 Comments

  1. It beats me that nobody in our political hierachy is brave enough to suggest a halt to our perenial over reliance of tobacco. As the world becomes more diverse and dynamic, politicians in Malawi still believe without people smoking our tobacco, we are doomed as a nation. Surely there are more high value crops that can fetch 20times more earnings than tobacco. Somebody need to take this message to our illeterate famers but most importantly somebody brave needs to tell our political CEOs that time has come for a change of mindset and time is ripe for an economic revolution that should see us get rid of tobacco and switch to alternatives and mobilize our farmers in that direction. And when you have a whole Minister crying that people out thereare getting less interested to smoke, what do you expect the rest to do? cry louder isnt it.

  2. Tobacco has done more damage than help to Malawi. Look at deforestation in tobacco growing areas and how this has impacted silting in Lake Malawi. Tobacco companies make excess profits because they do not pay a true cost of producing the crop. When you compare the prices that Malawi farmers make per kilo compared to their counterparts in the US, you would understand that it is daylight robbery for our poor farmers. What a shame

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