Following the event “Global Illicit Trade Summit“, which took place in Brussels today 21 February, ENSP would like to share with you an article expressing our position on the topic of illicit trade and the involvement of industry in the fight against it.

Debates throughout the event centred on the importance of involving industries in the fight against illicit trade. JTI was one of the four sponsors of the event and JTI Vice-president for Anti-Illicit Trade, Brendan LeMoult, expectedly underlined the necessity of working with the industry to tackle illicit trade while publicising the large investment done by the company to bring down illicit sales. While not mentioning the need for tracking and tracing systems, the event brochure  featured a two-page promotion of JTI’s own tracking and tracing system.

ENSP reiterates that the involvement of industry in the fight against illicit trade, as promoted at the Global Illicit Trade Summit, is not in compliance with the WHO FCTC Article 5.3 and the WHO FCTC Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. Contrary to the positions expressed throughout debates during the event, ENSP advocates for the implementation of a system, which is independent of industry involvement. 

In this context ENSP and MEP Gilles Pargneaux, Chair of the MEP against the interference of the Tobacco Industry Working Group, organise a special event “Towards an EU-wide traceability of tobacco products: ensuring an independent and efficient system to fight illicit trade and protect public health”, Thursday 2 March 2017 in the European Parliament, Brussels. The event will allow for an open and transparent debate on key policy options for tracking and tracing of tobacco products, which will allow Members of Parliament as well as the civil to be fully informed and exercise their scrutiny power.