Brussels, 18/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is to participate in the first negotiating session on the WHO Convention on Tobacco Control which has started in Geneva. The EU Member States have mandated the European Commission to negotiate on their behalf in areas of EU competence. The World Health Organisation has proposed the creation of a WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. This could address some key issues such as cross-border advertising, sponsorship and promotion of tobacco. David Byrne, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, welcomed the start of negotiations and underlined the importance attached by the EU to this convention. "I remain convinced that one of the major health challenges of the new millennium is to reduce the appalling and entirely preventable death toll from smoking", he said.