Abu Dhabi – Tobacco products feature digital seals to make them easy to verify, identify, monitor and trace.
The UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) started implementing the new digital technology, which will be used in stock management and the improvement of tax revenues.
The digital seals will apply to imported and locally-produced tobacco items as part of efforts to combat tax evasion, step up control procedures and consolidate competitiveness and transparency.
The digital system will be expanded gradually to cover all tobacco products to be monitored electronically from the phase of production and ensure the excise tax levied on cigarettes is paid.
The UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) urged all companies which import tobacco products to comply with the regulations, warning that violators would face punitive measures.
In August, the UAE authorities will deny entry to all types of tobacco products which do not feature digital seals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued the The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which calls on member countries, in Article 1, to "consider, as appropriate, developing a practical tracking and tracing regime that would further secure the distribution system and assist in the investigation of illicit trade."