TSTF Programme Latest

The programme for the Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™ (TSTF) is almost finalised and includes some interesting presentations by tax authorities and solution providers alike.

Here are abstracts of some of these presentations:

An environmental scan: current developments impacting tax and customs administrations, and how to leverage them to your advantage

International Tax and Customs Transformation Consultant Telita Snyckers will describe key developments across tax and customs administrations that are of relevance to the secure marking and traceability space.

Developments such as:

Tax Administration 3.0 – this OECD standard seeks to transform the way governments collect and manage taxes, focusing on technology, data analytics, artificial intelligence, transparency, and accountability.
The UN’s new draft tax convention, created as part of its strategy to take over the tax policy standardisation role from OECD.
Compliance by design – administrations have recently been developing strategies that build compliance into systems from the start.
Disruptive and emerging technologies – tax and customs administrations tend to be late adopters of new technologies. However, they are becoming increasingly professionalised and are being run as agencies outside of the civil service, as a result of which more innovative practices are emerging. Traceability solutions will therefore increasingly need to be aligned with emerging technologies.

Impact of tax stamps on excise tax revenue: the case of Ghana Revenue Authority

Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) uses an exploratory data analysis approach to weigh the benefits reaped from the country’s tax stamp programme, first introduced in 2010. It analyses excise tax revenue performance prior to and post-implementation, scope and coverage of the programme, and the legal undertakings between GRA and tax stamp contractors, whilst assessing compliance by manufacturers, importers, and retailers to inform future policy.

How Panama is addressing illicit trade

Panama’s General Directorate of Revenue will describe how the country has an important strategic location, with an economy based mainly on services provided in the canal zone as well as free trade zones, port areas and gasoline trade zones. Additionally, Panama maintains a robust financial centre and, in this way, has become a business hub for the Americas.

All these advantages are very good but, at the same time, they leave the country exposed to illicit trade, in products such as psychotropic substances, liquor, cigarettes and gasoline.

For this reason, Panama has created mechanisms to counteract these attacks, establishing penalties and administrative sanctions, modifying procedures, etc. It has also created multidisciplinary teams and trained its customs and tax officials in regions where there is a threat of illicit goods.

Nevertheless, Panama must strengthen the measures it currently has, as well as create new mechanisms, including technological tools to help reduce illegal activities.

Canada’s journey to legalising recreational cannabis

Canadian Bank Note Company (CBN) describes how the journey to legalising recreational cannabis in Canada tells a story upon which the rest of the world can build its own plans. From public favour to political will, through the rigours of legislation and on to the practicalities of assembling and launching a brand-new excise regime in a brand-new market... it’s a remarkable tale.

CBN (which supplies both tobacco and cannabis excise stamps to the Canada Revenue Agency) was quietly in the background, and at times front and centre, for most of these efforts. In its presentation, the company will touch on themes and practical lessons which industry and government delegates alike can learn from as the rest of the world ponders the question of how to legalise properly.

Protection from the storm: implementing Lebanon’s authentication and traceability solution

Between 2018-2021, it was estimated that illicit cigarettes accounted for 25% of the total market within the Republic of Lebanon, costing the government between $200-$250 million in annual lost revenues.

Instability in the region, a prolonged economic crisis and the COVID pandemic combined to create the perfect storm for this illicit trade.

To combat this challenge, OpSec Security was contracted to plan, develop, and implement a complete authentication and traceability solution for cigarette products produced in and for the Republic of Lebanon.

This presentation will detail the specific regional and technical challenges faced during this process, and the key solutions developed to protect these vital government revenues.

Beverage tax stamps with secure direct marking: benefiting over a dozen countries

Beer is one of the most common product categories subject to excise duties, along with non-alcoholic beverages, such as soft drinks and bottled water. However, using paper-based tax stamps for these products poses several operational challenges.

A track and trace solution that prints unique codes directly on the bottle or can, using security inks, offers significant advantages, while keeping the ability to protect the system from fake and duplicated codes.

SICPA will describe a solution that has been implemented by revenue authorities in over a dozen countries – including Georgia – and the benefits realised. The company will also present some recent innovations with additional benefits, such as interoperability and consumer verification.

Revenue authority delegates of the Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum will have the opportunity to observe direct beverage marking in action, during a tour of the Zedazeni brewery in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 2 October, with the Georgia Revenue Service in attendance.

The tour is for government authorities only and numbers are strictly limited, so please register your interest as early as possible by contacting Alison Bell ([email protected]).

The Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum takes place from 2-4 October 2023 in Tbilisi, Georgia. Watch this space for future updates or visit www.taxstamptraceabilityforum.com.