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Parliamentary question - E-014898/2015Parliamentary question
E-014898/2015

Traceability of tobacco-based products

Question for written answer E-014898-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Piernicola Pedicini (EFDD) , Fabio Massimo Castaldo (EFDD) , Dario Tamburrano (EFDD)

According to Commission estimates, the illegal trade in tobacco products costs Member States some EUR 10 million per year in lost tax revenue. In 2000 the Commission took legal action against Philip Morris International and other tobacco companies accused of involvement in the trade in contraband cigarettes. The proceedings against Philip Morris were closed in 2004 after the company agreed to pay the EU and the Member States EUR 1 billion over a 12-year period and to make additional payments if any genuine products were seized by customs.

Although the Commission has said that it is too early to adopt track and trace technologies, as traceability standards have not yet been laid down by means of delegated acts, the Italian Government intends to give Philip Morris responsibility for setting up a tobacco-based product tracking and tracing system when it transposes Directive 2014/40/EU.

In the Commission's view, is this arrangement in keeping with the provisions of that directive and with Article 8 of the Protocol to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control?