From: Euractiv
Stakeholders question Commission’s handling of tobacco track and trace
By Sarantis Michalopoulos
An EU spokesperson revealed that the Commission has SMEs firmly in mind in its track and trace plans. [HM Revenue & Customs /Flickr]
Several member states and the EU distribution sector have questioned the effectiveness of a recent European Commission consultant’s proposal on the future track and trace system of tobacco products.
In July 2016, the European Commission decided to end an anti-smuggling deal with tobacco firm Phillip Morris International (PMI) and pledged to focus on the new EU tobacco directive (TDP), as well as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to tackle the illicit tobacco trade [See background].
Currently, three global manufacturers (British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International and Imperial Tobacco Group) have bilateral deals with the European Commission to track and trace their products
