The tracking and follow-up system included in the directive on tobacco products cannot be left in the hands of the industry. This is the message launched by public health activists on Tuesday 27 June during a conference organised by the Smoke-Free Partnership at the European Parliament.
It should be pointed out that the directive on tobacco products (2014/40/EU) introduces a range of measures to combat the illicit trade in tobacco products, including a European identification and follow-up system for the legal supply chain and a security mechanism helping to detect illicit tobacco products. The directive calls on the Commission to define technical standards for these two mechanisms in view of their introduction in 2019 for cigarettes and rolling tobacco and in 2024 for other tobacco products.
Codentify system in question
In this context, public health organisations are warning against standards lacking in ambition that do not respond to the obligations in the directive or World Health Organisation protocol or the illegal tobacco trade (ratified by six member states and the EU). They have particular concerns that the tobacco industry would be able to maintain its current authentication system. This system was developed in 2004 by Philip Morris and uses the name 'Codentify'. It is a digital branding and tracking system used to strengthen and secure the logistical flows of tobacco products. In 2016, it was sold to the Inexto company (a subsidiary of the Impala group) and is currently used by the four major tobacco industry companies: British American Tobacco, Imperial Brands, Japan Tobacco International and Philip Morris International, which want it to be maintained.
At the end of 2015, the secretariat of the WHO framework convention on combating illegal tobacco products informed the Commission in no uncertain terms that maintaining the Codentify system rather than envisaging alternatives to respond to the requirements in the directive and protocol, were causing concern. This position was also expressed by several participants at the Smoke-Free Partnership. Françoise Grossetête (EPP, France) MEP, the host of this event, commented, “We have to put in place a system without previous or present links to the tobacco industry. If not, what credibility would this system have? Have you already thought about putting robbers in charge of a bank?” Deborah Arnott, Director General at Smoking and Health (United Kingdom) stated that the EU is the first place in the world to develop a trans-national system for follow-up and tracking tobacco products that is likely to control contraband tobacco products much more efficiently than is currently the case. She added, however, that this system had to be genuinely independent from the tobacco industry which, for too long, has allowed cigarettes to be introduced into the supply chain illicitly.
The model the Commission intends to keep is not yet clear. According to one observer, the Commission might opt for a “mixed system”. In the meantime, Parliament's budget control and environmental, public health and food safety committees are expected to organise a discussion on the subject on 12 July. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)