Tobacco Documents Online

DRAFT MINUTES META MIDDLE EAST TOBACCO ASSOCIATION 3rd Meeting at the Athenaeum Hotel, London Thursday, October 6, 1988 Participants: B.A.T. (U.K . & Export) Ltd. Gallaher International Limited Philip Morris Europe EEMA R.J. Reynolds Tobacco International Rothmans Exports Limited Chairman: G.C. Reynolds, G. Hankins, R. Davies C. Hobden, Ian Birks T.A. Macleod, N. Gotecha, G.L. Nassif E.F. Touma, P. Schuler (partly) M. Lymbery, W.D. Rowland, R.J. Bevan Abdullah Borek, META Coordinator 1. The enda was reviewed and approved. 2. The minutes of the July 7th meeting and their additions were approved. 3. Draft GCC Standard for Cigarettes: a) The META Scientists' Meeting on 30th September -was successful in that a common position of all member companies has been achieved. Two areas remain problematic: additives and heavy metals. b) It is planned that three scientists tE. Cummings (Rothmans). M. Boulas (PM) and H. Dymond (BAT)l will visit SASO on 13/ 14 November 1988. Arrangements with SASO will be made by George Nassif of Philip Morris who will also accompany the scientists and endeavour to' secure visas through SASO in view of the current difficulties experienced with visas. N ~ 0 ~ 0 V V N .b. 0

2 This will be preceded by a meeting of the three individuals concerned at BAT's Milbank Office on October 27, 1988. Further details can be gathered from W.D. Rowland's memo dated Oct. 3, 1988 to M. Lymbery, copies of which were distributed during the meeting. c) The person now in charge of the food section in SASO is Yacoub Al Turki. d) The documents to be submitted to SASO and on which the scientists will agree is to be translated into Arabic in Bahrain. The translations will be produced in Bahrain and checked for correct terminology by George Nassif and Abdullah Borek. After SASO received the original, copies will be sent to other the countries. A date is to be agree.d with SASO for a follow-up meeting. e) Members were certain that SASO did receive as response from Kuwait and there are reasons to believe that other countries have responded. However, through their Chamber of Commerce connections in both Qatar and Oman this will be ascertained by BAT. f) During the meeting two draft standards received the previous day were distributed by BAT: A. Cigarettes - Determination of total and dry particulate matter using a routine analytical cigarette - smoking machine - glass fibre filter smoke trap method. B. Cigarettes - Determination of Carbon Monoxide in the vapor phase of smoke (NDIR) method. Scientists will have to study the drafts and advise whether these are acceptable and whether a specific response is required. [On checking the 'Complementary References' section, it appears that, including the above two drafts, 12 different standards pertaining to cigarettes/tobacco products are being referred to; to this one has to add the Gulf Draft Standard for cigarettes itself and the proposed standard for additives referred therein. In total we are dealing to date with 14 standards that we know ofl. g) The question of the storage issue (Item 9 of the original draft document) was raised. It is understood now that this refers to the samples drawn for testing only and not the cigarettes for sale. 2501077241

3 4. Non-Cigarette Tobacco Products: The Dutch manufacturers meet regularly and discuss the problem. There are mixed feelings and the question of falsified numbers is well known. Further efforts through or with these manufacturers appear to be fruitless. As of recent some shipments with the warning notice only appear to have slipped in. META's recommendation. continued to be: Use of the new warning notice with the attribution "Health Warning" only and not listing of additives or T+N numbers. 5. Bahrain: Warning Notice on Press Advertisements: A proposed uniform version of the warning notice in English and Arabic for different advertisement sizes was handed to members for use by their advertising agencies. 6. Saudi Arabia: Amendment of SASO Standard banning 25's: This was only read out as a matter of record. 7. Differences in Warning Notices on Packs: Common position is now: no legislation should be pre-empted by 'over-compliance' future changes will first be discussed between members current differences cannot be reconciled. Gallaher made the point that they would not exceed the requirements of the law in future. 8. Taxa ion : a) There are no news regarding a duty increase in those GCC States that have not yet enacted resolution no. 4. b) At this time the products of the Ajman factory are subject to duty. They could qualify for exemption if added value would be 407. and 51 % national ownership. 2501077242

4 c) The proposal to organise a lobby with a view to modify existing regulations to allow duty drawback on stocks destroyed or re-exported was approved in principle. No success can be expected in Saudi Arabia, however Kuwait might be a better starting point. The coordinator will collect further information and produce a paper to enable members to come back with regard to this issue. 9. CRU-Project : The translation of the text of the study will now be commissioned. Depending on the answer yet to be received from the IAA Dubai as to the acceptance by Shaikh Hasher Maktoum to sign the foreword, this will then have to be produced together with a press release (all in the name of IAA). The coordinator is following up the issue of the raw data retrieval from Kuwait. 10. The Use of the Media to Further Industry Views: The need for this activity was seen by all members. The coordinator was asked to produce a document stating the ground rules for such an activity involving the publication of previously published and vetted informative articles not opposed to the industry. Likewise the need to educate distributors on tobacco related issues was expressed; in particular distributors should be discouraged to talk to the press without proper briefing. 11. Smoking and Islam: As no action by the industry can be envisaged this topic will no more feature on the agenda. The coordinator will give a short summary on this situation during the forthcoming INFOTAB workshop in Malaga; the manuscript will be circulated to members for information. 12. META Budget 1989: The coordinator's operational budget for 1989 ($ 227,000) was approved. It was indicated that savings to the tune of $ 10,000 might be possible (travel $ 5,000 and contingency $ 5,000). Funding of projects will be agreed as such pro jects are proposed and approved; no formal budget was deemed necessary. N cn 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ N ~ w

5 13. Advertising Expenditure vs. Sales Volume: it was proposed to produce a document showing over some years advertsing expenditure in comparison to sales volume. This should show that despite advertising volumes have dropped in order to counter claims that advertising should be done. A document of this nature has been produced by the Africa group. The coordinator will obtain the necessary figures and communicate his findings. 14. Next Meeting: It was proposed to hold the next (4th) META meeting on 24/25 January 1989 in Geneva. The meeting will be hosted by RJR. Members will advise the coordinator and confirm the date by 20th October 1988. in Item 3 d): Documents related to Draft Gulf Standard to be sent to coordinator for translation. (action by: members and coordinator). Item 3 e): Follow-up on fate of submissions regarding Draft Gulf Standard. (Action by: BAT in Qatar and Oman - PM in Bahrain). Item 8 c): Position paper regarding duty drawback ( n by: Coordinator ). Item 9: CRU Study - translation of copy / foreword / press release (action by: Coordinator). Item 10: Ground rules for media relations (action: by Coordinator). Item 13: Media Advertsing Cost vs. Sales Document (a ion by: Coordinator ). Item 14: Next Meeting: Confirmation by 20th Oct. 1988 (action by: members). N N 10.10.88/ALB 0 1.4. 0 1j __j N p .A