Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) consists of six member countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.  Yemen is not a GCC member, but became a member of the GCC Standardization Organization effective Jan. 1, 2010.

On August 9, 2011, the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) adopted a standard, Labelling of Tobacco Product Packages, GSO 246/2011.  This standard includes a requirement for picture based health warnings to cover 50% of the package front and back, with an Arabic warning on the front and an English warning on the back.

Two picture warnings are specifically designed for water pipe tobacco. 

The new standard also contains a specific ban on misleading terms including “light”, “mild”, “low tar”, “extra light”, “low” and similar terms.

Each member country of the GCC Standardization Organization must adopt the standard nationally through its own national processes before the GCC standard applies in that country.

► GCC Standard.  Arabic.  English.
► Pictures.