Tobacco, From Agromafie Observatory, Maciste project against smuggling

Permanent monitoring of the smuggling phenomenon in the tobacco and e-cig sector in Italy. This is the goal of the project “Maciste – Monitoring Agromafie Illicit Contrast Tobacco Sector E-cig” for the fight against illegal tobacco in Italy, promoted by the “Osservatorio Agromafie” Foundation in collaboration with Philip Morris Italia and with the involvement of Eurispes , presented today in Rome. The project provides for a permanent monitoring of the phenomenon which will annually materialize in the creation of a report to which the main protagonists of the sector at national level will be invited to participate. “The Agromafie Observatory Foundation aims to analyze the phenomenon of smuggling and counterfeiting in the tobacco sector. up to international terrorism “, explains the President of the Scientific Committee of the Agromafie Observatory Foundation, Gian Carlo Caselli. The observatory aims to draw up an exhaustive picture of the criminal phenomenon, following its consolidation over the years up to the current situation. As reported by the data of the Kpmg annual report, Italy in 2020 managed to position itself as a best practice at the European level. The spread of counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes is around 3.4% of national consumption (-4.4 percentage points compared to the European average), reaching an all-time low in contrast to what happens in most EU countries. illicit market, also for 2021, deprives the state coffers of about 400 million euros, in addition to exposing consumers to poor quality products. A problem that would compromise the profits of legitimate producers, with the consequent repercussions on employment in the sector. “We need to defend our productive assets from fraud with Italy which is the leading European tobacco producer with over a quarter of the total production, developed on 16,000 hectares for a quality harvest guaranteed by the supply chain agreement between Coldiretti and Philip Morris Italy . The smuggling – explains the National President Coldiretti, Ettore Prandini – translates into economic damage to the community due to the lack of revenue caused by the illicit tobacco trade but the effects on health due to the lack of quality and control checks are also worrying. ‘use of prohibited chemicals “.” The observatory and data analysis is fundamental in the very important fields that the agency oversees with its ten thousand thousand employees and over 300 offices in the area located near where it is produced, near to industries, to ensure controlled supply chain operations that can be traced and monitored “, underlines Director Gene rale Customs and Monopoly Agency, Marcello Minenna. Minenna then reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment and recalled how “the distribution monopoly in the tobacco sector is a virtuous element that counteracts smuggling”, also because “The system is tracked and controlled and makes it possible to distinguish the quality of the products” . “The road we have taken is an important road, we have done many things this year but I believe that in the next year and a half we will be able to do as many if not more. The country – he concluded – needs to consolidate its recovery and investments in the area. that create value in the production and distribution chain are the basis “.” Product innovation has always been an opportunity to combat illegal “, explained Marco Hannappel, president and CEO of Philip Morris Italia, during his intervention. “It is much more difficult to make a heated tobacco product than a traditional cigarette – he added – and compared to highly innovative products, such as the Heets produced in Crespellano with a plant costing one billion and one hundred million euros, the counterfeiting is more difficult. But in the future, smuggling technology will also evolve and that is why the Observatory and its task of monitoring new products is also important. ” Present in Italy since 1963, with a production plant a few kilometers from Bologna and a center in Taranto, Philip Morris focuses on the supply chain with strategic agreements and investments because – in itself – it is already an instrument to fight against illegal phenomena: “Today we operate by buying tobacco from Coldiretti and we work it in Bologna, Italy has reduced its share of the incidence of the offense thanks also to supply chain agreements as well as to the work of the institutions. In this sector, public-private partnership is very important, ”Hannappel noted. Hannappel then recalled Philip Morris’ international commitment through the “Pmi Impact” initiative for the global fight against illicit and smuggling through a 100 million dollar fund, of which 60 already invested in projects, of which 5 they are Italian. This is because by fighting smuggling and illegal activities, “We are not investing only in the country system but also in combating crime”, he concluded.