Tackling cancer has been a health priority for the European Commission for the last decades. As tobacco consumption is the leading cause of preventable cancer, effective tobacco control measures are essential for promoting public health.
To combat illicit tobacco trade, the Tobacco Products Directive (2014/40/EU) established a comprehensive traceability and tracking system for tobacco products. Under such system, Article 15(8) of the Directive requires each manufacturer and importer of tobacco products to enter into data storage contracts with independent third-party providers. These contracts are critical for ensuring transparency within the tobacco supply chain and verifying the authenticity of tobacco products. This reduces the circulation of non-compliant tobacco products, and prevents counterfeit articles from being sold.
Spark has already worked with the European Commission (DG SANTE) on the Tobacco Products Directive. We will be continuing our work by conducting a rigorous evaluation of data storage contracts to ensure they meet all regulatory standards, comply with legal requirements and include the key elements as defined in the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/573.
By ensuring this compliance, this Study will support the EU’s efforts to combat illicit tobacco trade to reduce tobacco consumption across Member States, contributing to the goal of achieving a ‘tobacco-free generation.’
