Pictures: Secretariat of the WHO FCTC / P. Virot
Pictures: Secretariat of the WHO FCTC / P. Virot
Tobacco control efforts must prioritize the creation of tracking and tracing systems to monitor the movement of tobacco products from manufacturing to their distribution and sale, experts emphasized at the first session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP1) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (Protocol).
“Tracking and tracing systems that enable States to follow the movement of tobacco products from the starting point of production to the end points of sale will be key to global efforts to block the illicit tobacco trade,” said Dr. Filip Borkowski, Deputy Head of Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate General of the Health and Food Safety Unit.
Addressing delegates at the MOP1 discussions in Geneva on 8-10 October 2018, Dr. Borkowski emphasized the critical role of a regulatory coding system for identifying tobacco products and monitoring the tobacco supply chain.
“The key element for maximizing the traceability of tobacco products is the generation of a unique code that will identify each tobacco product,” said Dr. Borkowski.
“A traceability system that tracks the delivery of each product to a retailer will allow us to fully map the production and distribution of all legal tobacco products – so that we can also detect the illegal goods and take enforcement actions against illicit operations.”
Equally important, Dr. Borkowski emphasized, was to ensure the system of generating and storing codes remains independent and inaccessible to the tobacco industry. Under the Protocol, Parties are obliged to ensure they are in full control of their traceability systems, including the storage of track and trace data.
“It is critical for States to ensure that the generation of these codes is kept out of the hands of tobacco companies,” he reminded the Parties to the Protocol. “It is also important that the unique identity codes are stored independently in a fully secured storage – so that tobacco companies cannot access or manipulate this data.”
The European Union is in the advanced stages of setting up its tobacco track-and-trace system due to be operational in May 2019. Under a new EU law, which was adopted in December 2017 and entered into force in May 2018, the EU and its Member States must ensure all tobacco monitoring systems remain independent of tobacco industry interference, with particular focus on the independent generation of unique identifiers and storage of traceability data.
The MOP1 gathering was held in the wake of the Protocol’s entry into force on 25 September. To date, 48 States have joined the Protocol.
Delegates at MOP1 reached an agreement to create a working group to produce a comprehensive report to showcase good practices and experiences of State Parties in the implementation of tracking and tracing systems.
Dr. Vera da Costa e Silva, head of the WHO FCTC Secretariat, called on participants at the MOP1 discussions to strengthen interagency cooperation on tobacco control across borders.
“The circulation of tobacco products knows no borders. Effective implementation of the Protocol must involve collaboration with the health sector of various government agencies, including customs, finance and law enforcement,” said Dr. da Costa e Silva.
Helica Maximo, a Brazil Federal Revenue Service representative, shared the experiences of Brazil, which began operating a track-and-trace system for tobacco products in 2008.
“The identity seal assigned to each tobacco packet has been very effective in tobacco surveillance and monitoring,” said Ms. Maximo.
She called on other States to develop tobacco tracking and tracing systems to ensure effective implementation of the Protocol. “In order for the international community to disrupt the flow of contraband tobacco, countries must establish similar track-and-trace systems and be willing to exchange information across borders.”