The draft law on the introduction of a traceability system for tobacco products and similar products (track & trace) has passed the first public consultations.
The discussions, organized by the parliamentary commission on social protection, health and family, were attended by representatives of parliament, government, business, public organizations, trade, and the medical community. Each of the parties voiced its position on a package of amendments to anti-tobacco legislation in order to bring it into line with the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. One of the important provisions of the project is to ensure the security of the supply chain and the prevention of illegal trade in tobacco products and similar products by introducing a product traceability system. It provides for stricter control over each pack of cigarettes - all packages of tobacco products and similar products placed on the market must have a unique identification code / brand with information about the product, its purpose, date, time, place of manufacture, equipment on which it was produced, the country for which it is intended, etc. Localization and tracking will be provided by a government-appointed body. The project also involves the addition of anti-tobacco legislation with new concepts and clarification of existing ones (“new similar products”, “electronic cigarette”, “controlled delivery”, “toxicity”, etc.). According to the draft, the requirements for tobacco products will apply to all similar products; stricter requirements for health warnings on the packaging of tobacco and similar products; manufacturers will be required to provide more detailed information on the composition of products, including the substances used to process raw materials, etc. Also, according to the project, the consumption of tobacco and similar products will be prohibited in the common areas of apartment buildings and dormitories, on the balconies of residential buildings (apartments, dormitories), as well as in places where minor children and pregnant women are located. During the discussions, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Svetlana Nicolaescu, noted the importance of introducing most of the measures proposed by the bill. She said that, according to recent studies, Moldova has become the only member of the WHO, in which a trend of growing consumption of tobacco products has been registered, including due to an increase in the number of so-called tobacco users of alternative products - electronic cigarettes, flavored heated products. Svetlana Nicolaescu expressed the unequivocal position of the Ministry of Health that anti-tobacco legislation should be equally applied to all categories of products - both nicotine and non-nicotine products. Business representatives drew attention to many disagreements with the regulatory framework and spoke in favor of its synchronization. In general, they supported the main goals of the project, provided that it is implemented within a reasonable time - no earlier than 24 -36 months after approval, noting that the complexity of implementing the track&trace system, including the financial burden, should not be underestimated. // 28.11.2022 — InfoMarket
