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All Advanced Materials Associations Authentication Brand Protection Case Studies Companies Consumer & Industrial Products Countries Covert & Forensic Security Document Protection Editorials Enforcement & Surveillance Events Excise Products Free Government Illicit Trade Interviews News Overt Security Regulations Reports & Studies Standards Strategies Sustainability Tax & Revenue Tax Stamps Technology & Systems Tenders Track and Trace

Nicola Sudan

29 June 2021

8 min read

New Tenders Emphasise Need for Traceability on Multiple Products

Over the past few months, a number of interesting tenders for tax stamps and track and trace systems have been issued by various revenue authorities across the world. Most of these tenders are characterised by two things: 1) their need for extensive systems that cover physical tax stamps, secure track and trace, and even production line monitoring; 2) their need for systems that cover a wide range of products.

Tenders Track and Trace

Nicola Sudan

28 June 2021

3 min read

Mali Delegation Draws on Burkina Faso’s Tobacco Tracing Experience

In April, Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Industry and Trade welcomed a delegation of public and private sector officials from its West African neighbour Mali, who were seeking to draw inspiration from Burkina Faso’s experience in tobacco product traceability.

Countries Excise Products Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

28 June 2021

2 min read

ODDS Conference – Call for Papers

The call for papers for Optical & Digital Document Security™ (ODDS) conference, the new security technology ‘super-event’, is now available from the event website. Organised by Reconnaissance International, this conference – to be held in Vienna, Austria, 17-19 January 2022 – brings together Reconnaissance’s two successful technical conferences to cover the key security and protection topics that have become more pressing in our digital age.

Events

Nicola Sudan

28 June 2021

5 min read

Cigarettes Flagged as Illicit by Cloned ID Number, Not by Security Label

In France and the UK, there have been recent news stories of cigarette packs identified in the market as illicit because they were all carrying the same ID number (when this number should in fact be unique to each pack). What was not mentioned in these reports, however, was whether or not the packs were carrying authentication labels, which they are obliged to do under the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD).

Authentication Countries Excise Products

ASPA Family

28 June 2021

2 min read

The Icon of the Indian Holography and Authentication Industry

The news of the untimely demise of Mr U K Gupta has left the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA) family and the entire authentication industry in shock.

Authentication

Nicola Sudan

28 June 2021

2 min read

Uganda Tax Stamp Programme Smashes Performance Targets

Following the 2019 launch of its tax stamp and traceability programme on locally manufactured and imported beer, spirits, wine, soda, mineral water and tobacco products, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has far exceeded some of the key performance targets set for the programme.

Countries Track and Trace

Nicola Sudan

20 June 2021

3 min read

Pakistan Wins Tobacco Control Award – But There are Gaps in the Picture

According to media website dawn.com, there are gaps in the picture with regard to The World Health Organisation’s award to Pakistan for its anti-tobacco efforts.

Countries Excise Products Track and Trace

Francisco Mandiola

8 June 2021

6 min read

The Challenges of Economic Informality During COVID-19

The growth of informal economic activity has become a challenge throughout the Latin American region. To address this, the Swiss-Chilean Chamber of Commerce recently held a webinar to discuss the challenges of informality (in employment, government, taxation), as well as the actions that policymakers, in the region and elsewhere, could take to halt an increasing trend resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case Studies Events Free Free

Nicola Sudan

25 May 2021

1 min read

CCL Design Partners with iTRACE Technologies

CCL Design has announced a partnership with iTRACE Technologies, a leading provider of supply chain security applications for anti-grey and anti-counterfeit markets. The partnership will integrate the iTRACE 2DMI® smartphone authentication capability with CCL Design’s HP Indigo-based security label production.

Authentication

Sven Bergmann

25 May 2021

5 min read

Illicit Tobacco Trade in Europe Goes Local

Europol’s Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2021 (SOCTA-21) provides a detailed account of the dramatic impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on organized crime, illicit markets in general and the illicit tobacco market in the EU in particular.

Excise Products Free Illicit Trade Free

Nicola Sudan

25 May 2021

9 min read

The Global Use of Tax Stamps – Asia and Australasia

In the January issue of Tax Stamp & Traceability News™, we launched a new series on the use of tax stamps and associated track and trace systems in different regions of the world, starting with Africa. This month, we shift the focus to Asia and Australasia.

Case Studies Countries Reports & Studies

Nicola Sudan

25 May 2021

2 min read

Wholesaler Sues Tax Agency for NOT Issuing Stamps

It’s not often that we hear members of the tobacco industry complaining that a tax authority is not issuing tax stamps – in fact, the complaints are usually because the opposite is true.

Countries Excise Products Tax & Revenue

Nicola Sudan

25 May 2021

2 min read

Benin’s Booming Illicit Fuel Trade Calls for New Responses

The illicit fuel trade in Benin has soared since 1980, and the situation isn’t much better today, reports David Zounmenou for ISS Today.

Countries Illicit Trade

Nicola Sudan

19 May 2021

5 min read

YPB Group Launches World’s First Smartphone-Readable Tracers

The Australian brand protection and consumer engagement solutions provider YPB Group has launched MotifMicro™, its forensic, smartphone-readable, anti-counterfeit technology for high-volume applications, which will provide individualised markers for products and documents.

Authentication Technology & Systems

Nicola Sudan

18 May 2021

2 min read

ITSA Appoints New Board and Prepares New Round of Webinars

Following its 4th Annual General Meeting, held in May 2021, the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) has appointed four directors to its board.

Associations

Nicola Sudan

12 May 2021

8 min read

Key Questions Raised at Tax Stamp Webinar

In April, Reconnaissance International held a one-hour webinar to present its new review 'Tax Stamps & Traceability: A Market Analysis and Technical Update' to over 200 registrants. The co-editor of the review, Nicola Sudan, was joined by its two main contributors: Michael Eads (ME) of Sovereign Border Solutions, and Richard Jotcham (RJ) of Axess Technologies.

Events Reports & Studies

Ian Lancaster

30 April 2021

7 min read

Georgia Opens Invitation for Expression of Interest

Georgia has a remarkably successful tobacco tax stamp programme which has been reported on in Tax Stamp & Traceability News™ (TSTN). Here we interview two managers from the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia (GRS), Levan Dgebuadze, head of the Service Department, and Samson Uridia, head of the International Relations Department, to find out more about it.

Countries Interviews Tenders

Nicola Sudan

29 April 2021

2 min read

Is Excise Tax on Soft Drinks a Good Substitute for Income Tax?

In a March article published by the Tax Foundation, Ulrik Boesen, Senior Policy Analyst, Excise Taxes, at the foundation’s Center for State Tax Policy examined how US state lawmakers are considering increasing excise taxes on soft drinks to offset decreases in income tax.

Excise Products Tax & Revenue

Nicola Sudan

29 April 2021

2 min read

SICPA Partners with Rhizo Verified for Hemp Authentication

SICPA has announced a new three-year partnership with Rhizo Verified, a US-based third-party hemp verification, authentication, and traceability solutions company.

Companies Excise Products

Nicola Sudan

29 April 2021

3 min read

Concerns with Tender Requirements

An ongoing issue of concern to the tax stamp world has recently resurfaced. The issue refers to the recent release of tax stamp tender specifications for Oman, which appear to eliminate all but a seemingly preselected supplier, thereby rendering what should be a competitive tender almost non-competitive.

Tenders

Latest News

New Tenders Emphasise Need for Traceability on Multiple Products

Mali Delegation Draws on Burkina Faso’s Tobacco Tracing Experience

ODDS Conference – Call for Papers

Cigarettes Flagged as Illicit by Cloned ID Number, Not by Security Label

The Icon of the Indian Holography and Authentication Industry

Uganda Tax Stamp Programme Smashes Performance Targets

Pakistan Wins Tobacco Control Award – But There are Gaps in the Picture

The Challenges of Economic Informality During COVID-19

CCL Design Partners with iTRACE Technologies

Illicit Tobacco Trade in Europe Goes Local

The Global Use of Tax Stamps – Asia and Australasia

Wholesaler Sues Tax Agency for NOT Issuing Stamps

Benin’s Booming Illicit Fuel Trade Calls for New Responses

YPB Group Launches World’s First Smartphone-Readable Tracers

ITSA Appoints New Board and Prepares New Round of Webinars

Key Questions Raised at Tax Stamp Webinar

Georgia Opens Invitation for Expression of Interest

Is Excise Tax on Soft Drinks a Good Substitute for Income Tax?

SICPA Partners with Rhizo Verified for Hemp Authentication

Concerns with Tender Requirements

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