Philip Morris, Customs Authority Sign Protocol to Confront Illicit Tobacco Trade

Chairman of the Egyptian Customs Authority (ECA) Sayed Kamal Negm signed on Tuesday a cooperation protocol between the Egyptian Customs Authority and tobacco giant Philip Morris.

The agreement aims to provide the company with technical assistance in relation to the illicit trade in tobacco products and exchange of data and information related to the illegal trade in tobacco products owned by the company and its subsidiaries.

According to the protocol, Philip Morris will organize training workshops for the authority’s employees in order to help them understand and identify issues related to combating illegal trade in tobacco products, as well as a training on international tax policy practices.

On the other hand, the Customs Authority will provide the company with information on tobacco products and companies bearing trademarks owned by the company, every three months, according to the limit permitted for circulation in accordance with the laws, and regulations.

The two parties will also cooperate in raising public awareness regarding illicit trade in tobacco products. This comes within the framework of achieving transparency in dealings with parties operating in the tobacco industry according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).