scholarly journals Prevention and Repression of Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products: Experience of Slovakia

2020 ◽  
pp. 253-273
Author(s):  
Libor Klimek
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Illicit Trade

scholarly journals Introduction of standardised packaging and availability of illicit cigarettes: a difference-in-difference analysis of European Union survey data 2015–2018

Thorax ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony A Laverty ◽  
Christopher Millett ◽  
Nicholas S Hopkinson ◽  
Filippos T Filippidis
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Tobacco Industry ◽  
Difference In Difference ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Difference Analysis ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
European Union Countries ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Uk

Standardised packaging of tobacco products is intended to reduce the appeal of smoking, but the tobacco industry claims this increases illicit trade. We examined the percentage of people reporting being offered illicit cigarettes before and after full implementation of standardised packaging in the UK, Ireland and France and compared this to other European Union countries. Reported ever illicit cigarette exposure fell from 19.8% to 18.1% between 2015 and 2018 in the three countries fully implementing the policy, and from 19.6% to 17.0% in control countries (p for difference=0.320). Standardised packaging does not appear to increase the availability of illicit cigarettes.

scholarly journals Turning a threat into an opportunity: British American Tobacco’s weakening of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products

2021 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2020-055837
Author(s):  
Benoît Gomis ◽  
Allen William Andrew Gallagher ◽  
Andy Rowell ◽  
Anna B Gilmore
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Tobacco Taxes ◽  
Philip Morris ◽  
National Implementation ◽  
Legal Costs ◽  
Illicit Tobacco Trade ◽  
Final Text

BackgroundPrevious research has outlined transnational tobacco company (TTC) efforts to undermine implementation of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (Protocol) and evidence of ongoing TTC complicity in the illicit tobacco trade (ITT). However, the industry’s views on the Protocol and role in its development are not well understood.MethodsSystematic searching and analysis of leaked documents—approximately 15 000 from British American Tobacco (BAT) and 35 from Philip Morris International, triangulated via searches of online resources and interviews with five stakeholders across academia, international organisations, governments, civil society and the private sector.FindingsEvidence indicates that after privately viewing the Protocol as a significant threat (2003), BAT worked to influence its content, while publicly signalling support for it (2007–2012), and was largely satisfied with the final text. BAT successfully pushed for a non-prescriptive text which enabled further country-level TTC influence during the Protocol’s implementation phase. The final text also reflected other BAT policy preferences, including preventing outright bans on duty-free sales and intermingling, and making it difficult to sanction and hold tobacco companies accountable for ongoing involvement in the ITT. TTC representatives were present during early Protocol negotiations, despite rules against this, and BAT obtained draft texts before they were public and paid at least one delegate to support its position.ConclusionsBAT’s primary interest in shaping the Protocol was to minimise its financial and legal costs for BAT while maximising potential costs to small competitors. These findings raise concern about the Protocol’s ability to control the ITT, particularly given TTCs’ intention to influence ongoing national implementation. An effective Protocol is vital to controlling both the ITT and ongoing tobacco industry involvement in it and, in turn, governments’ ability to increase tobacco taxes and thereby save lives.

The WHO Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products: A Next Step in International Control of Tobacco Products

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-97
Author(s):  
Lukasz Gruszczynski
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
International Level ◽  
Global Community ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Illicit Trade

This report discusses the main provisions of the recently adopted WHO Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. While recognizing the remarkable achievement of the global community in its efforts to curb illicit trade in tobacco products at the international level, the report also highlights those aspects of the Protocol that may undermine its effectiveness in the long–term perspective. In this context the enforcement capabilities of developing countries are cited as a main concern.

Areas for improvement in the tobacco excise policy in Ukraine

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (5) ◽  
pp. 82-96
Author(s):  
Mykhailo POLIAKOV ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Tobacco Products ◽  
Tax Rate ◽  
Excise Tax ◽  
Illicit Trade ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Excise Taxation ◽  
Business Entities ◽  
States Experience

The article analyses the ways to improve tobacco excise taxation in Ukraine considering a respective EU Member States experience, consequences of national reforms held in previous years, as well as challenges and potential threats caused by the pandemic. A worsening economic situation and the recent decline in income compounded the existing problems related to tobacco taxation in Ukraine. The increase of excise tax rate on cigarettes by 20% annually till 2025 and an inconsistent decision on more than four times increase of excise tax rates on electronically heated tobacco products (EHTP) pose a risk of boosting illicit trade. The advance payment of excise tax on imported tobacco products, in turn, negatively affects finances of importers due to the working capital diversion. Following that, the priority steps with regard to the excise policy of Ukraine should be aimed at: 1) revision of the existing plan of increasing tax rates on cigarettes by slowing down the growth of tax burden and simultaneous expansion of the plan till 2028; 2) correcting the burdensome reform on excise taxation of EHTP to establish more liberalized tax regime 3) switching to payment of excise tax on imported tobacco products during customs clearance. The mentioned initiatives taking into account a strong need to improve a fiscal situation in Ukraine due to the spread of COVID-19 will reduce a negative impact of increasing excise tax rates and administration procedures on tobacco industry. They will also prevent the growth of illicit trade in tobacco products and thus will contribute to improving the efficiency of tax system and strengthening the confidence of business entities.

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