Earlier this year, in an update on Latin America in this same newsletter, we posited that Argentina’s AFIP (Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos), the government institution in charge of the country’s tax policies, would be toughening up its stance against illicit tobacco trade and tax evasion.

A little over two years ago, Costa Rica was in the throes of allegations by TRACIT (Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade) that the best way to fight illicit tobacco trade was through a close collaboration between private sector companies (eg. tobacco producers) and the public sector.

As the traditional linear 1D barcode celebrates its 50th birthday, its days could be numbered now that GS1 – the global body responsible for barcode standards – prepares for the worldwide acceptance of younger, 2D codes in retail outlets by the end of 2027.

One of the most rapidly and widely embraced treaties in United Nations history, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) celebrates its 20th anniversary in May 2023.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation has announced that new excise stamps for tobacco and alcohol will be introduced in the country from 1 March 2025, and that they will be linked to the country’s extensive e-governance platform.

We continue our series of interviews with members of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), by talking with Gábor Zsámboki from ANY Security Printing in Hungary.

The programme for the Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™ (TSTF) is busy taking shape, with the call for papers deadline coming up at the end of May.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Finance plans to increase excise tax revenue by three to four times through the implementation of excise stamps, traceability, and an advanced excise management system.

In April, the Informal European Parliamentary Working Group for preparing the revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (IPWG TPD) held a workshop with civil society organisations, to address the lobbying efforts and ‘soft power’ of the tobacco industry to influence EU policies.

The Switzerland-based Thymaris group is a second-generation family business that has been operating since 2000. The business provides integrated authentication technologies (software and machines) on a global scale. Its mission is to close the security gap in existing barcode serialisation infrastructures.

Tobacco stakeholders and the European Commission disagree over the practical value of the EU track and trace system on tobacco products, implemented across all member states in May 2019 as part of the Tobacco Products Directive, reports EURACTIV.

This month, we continue our series of interviews with members of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), who share their experiences of the tax stamp industry and look ahead to some of the challenges and opportunities yet to come.

This article explores the concepts and current thinking related to AI and the author has a chat with AI to find out what AI ‘thinks’ about tax stamps.

At its recent conference held in April, the US Tax Foundation, which is the nation’s leading independent body on tax policy, presented research on some of the most pressing issues in global taxation, including global minimum tax, carbon tax, and excise tax.

In January, more than 60 officers from the French National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) raided a location in France, which was found to be an underground factory for counterfeit tobacco. The investigation was initiated as a result of information shared with France by Europol at the end of 2022.

This month, we continue our series of interviews with members of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), who share their experiences of the tax stamp industry and look ahead to some of the challenges and opportunities yet to come.

De La Rue has announced the multi-year extension of tax stamp/security seal contracts across nine countries in Europe and Africa.

Every year, on 24 February, India observes Central Excise Day, as a way of highlighting the essential role of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) in the country’s industrial development.

This article represents the first in a series that aims to educate readers on the dynamic nature of Free Trade Zones (FTZs) and key issues that need addressing, as well as, ideally, offer a means by which suppliers of secure track and trace technologies can address this heretofore untapped potential new market.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati of Lebanon was guest of honour at the recent launch of a countrywide authentication and traceability programme to combat tobacco illicit trade and promote economic reform.