Pursuant to a request for technical assistance from the Government of Montenegro, the Convention Secretariat, in collaboration with the World Health Organization Country Office in Montenegro, conducted a Needs Assessment mission for the implementation of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.
The objectives of the meeting included:
- Support in identifying gaps, needs and resources needed for the implementation of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products
- Propose a set of recommendations, agreed upon with national authorities, on the way forward to strengthen the implementation of the Protocol in Montenegro.
During the course of the week the mission team met with various stakeholders with responsibility for the implementation of specific provisions of the Protocol, including in particular the Ministry of Finance and Revenue Authority. A stakeholders’ meeting was held with participation from all relevant national agencies. Constructive discussions were held with government representatives to identify areas for improvement and existing gaps in the implementation of the Protocol provisions. Meetings were also held with strategic partners with expertise in the country, including representatives of the European Union Rule of Law project, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and local NGOs.
The mission also tackled the following topics
- the existing national tobacco control strategy;
- implementation of Article 5.3;
-with regards to the issue of illicit tobacco, representatives stressed the importance of a joint approach between health and finance to address the issue appropriately
-free trade zones;
- security of the tobacco products’ supply chain, the legal framework and international cooperation applicable in the context of Protocol.
-tracking and tracing regime under Article 8 of the Protocol