The programme for the third Optical and Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference is now available.

In 2023, we analysed how Chile’s cigarette traceability system, SITRAF (Sistema de Trazabilidad Fiscal) had been performing since its inception in 2019. At that time, a study conducted by local economists found that the implementation of the system in Chile had resulted in better control of legitimate sales and increased revenues.

The Third session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (MOP3) concluded on 15 February, in Panama City, after taking ‘decisive action to combat illicit trade in tobacco products’, according to a press release from the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

In the first of our 2024 interview series, we explore the tax stamp industry from an insider perspective, delving into its challenges, opportunities, and potential developments with International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) members.

In this country case study, Tim McIntyre, Senior Director Excise Control, Canadian Bank Note Company, describes the journey to legalisation of recreational cannabis in Canada, including the launch of an excise regime for a brand new market.

In response to the European Union's (EU) Digital Product Passport (DPP) initiative, the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) has crafted comprehensive recommendations to ensure a secure and interoperable implementation.

During the 2023 Tax Stamp and Traceability Forum™, held in Tbilisi, Georgia, I chaired a panel discussion on a topic that remains of ongoing interest to tax authorities: how are tax stamps really being authenticated in the field, and how are inspectors ensuring taxpayer compliance?

In 2023, Sovereign Border Solutions (SBS) wrote a series of three articles for Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ focusing on free trade zones (FTZs) and how they have become ‘hotspots’ for the illicit economy.

Lebanon is one of the few nations where the tobacco sector, including tobacco leaf farming and manufacturing, falls under state control.

Last year, we launched a series of interviews with International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) members to collect personal insights into the advances, challenges and possible future developments shaping the tax stamp industry’s evolution.

The manufacturing and sale of counterfeit beverages is alarmingly high in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab, the country’s most populated province. This illegal activity is continuing unabated, despite raids and confiscation of machinery carried out by the Punjab Food Authority (PFA).

This article is the third in a series on the topic of illicit trade and its relationship with free trade zones (FTZs). It is intended to foster consideration and discussion for secure traceability solutions, building upon the analyses provided in the articles published in this newsletter in March and August 2023.

The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has announced it will be expanding the use of excise tax stamps to a broader range of excisable products beyond cigarettes, following a 2021 amendment to the country’s Customs and Excise Act.

Looking back over the year that was, three key developments stand out from the rest, as captured in this article.

Tax stamp and traceability developments in Argentina, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela; Kenya Revenue Authority seeks tax stamp price increase in bid to grow revenue collection;

This month, we are pleased to present the latest entry in our ongoing interview series exploring the professional perspectives of International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) members.

Never a dull day in Latin America! The recent general election in Argentina saw flamboyant libertarian Javier Milei ascend to the presidency, with a promise to re-invent the Argentine economic wheel by eliminating not only the Argentina peso, but also many ministries and thousands of government employees.

While tax stamps often use diffractive effects to protect against counterfeiting, the process for making these stamps can often be time consuming and limited to printing firms with specialist equipment. But that could be about to change!

During the summer of 2021, I looked at the illicit trade that had started to spin out of control in Australia in the wake of the pandemic.

The 10th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), and the Third session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP3) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, has been postponed from November 2023 to as early as possible in 2024.