Confirmed: DFWC announces WHO’s decision that travel retail is not a cause of illicit tobacco trade

The Duty Free World Council (DFWC) has shared the decision at the Fourth Meeting of Parties to the Illicit Trade Protocol to conclude substantive discussions on the relationship between duty free and illicit trade.

In a decision taken at MOP4, Parties to the Protocol concluded that the evidence based research called for under Article 13.2 of the Protocol did not identify duty free as a significant channel for illicit trade in tobacco products. The Parties also noted that most Protocol Parties have implemented measures to control the sale of duty free tobacco products and prevent their diversion into illicit trade channels.

Parties to the Protocol determined that no further discussion on duty free will be required at subsequent Illicit Trade Protocol meetings, substantively concluding the topic.

Commenting on the decision taken in MOP4, DFWC President Sarah Branquinho said, “On behalf of the wider travel retail industry, the Duty Free World Council welcomes the decision by Protocol Parties to close this line of debate.

“The entire industry – associations, retailers, suppliers, airports – has pulled together to gather the robust evidence to demonstrate the integrity of our industry channel.

“As an industry we have been consistently clear – our supply chain is one of the most trusted, transparent and secure in the world. Our retailers and suppliers work closely with governments and regulators everywhere that duty free is sold to ensure that illicit trade cannot gain a foothold in our channel.

“Our sector will continue to work with customs and enforcement agencies around the world to ensure compliance, identify risks and uphold system integrity.”

See here for the full MOP4 announcement, which reads in part:

“Noting that report FCTC/MOP/4/5 states that, with regard to Article 13.2, most of the Parties consulted for the case studies did not identify duty free sales channels as a significant channel for the illicit trade in tobacco products;

"Taking into account that most of the Parties have implemented measures to control the sale of duty free tobacco products and prevent their diversion into illicit trade channels.”