Roundtable Meeting on Curbing Illicit Tobacco Trade in Russia

On December 12th, a round table discussion will be held in Izhevsk, Russia to address the issue of illegal trafficking of tobacco products and its impact on the Russian Federation, particularly on the economy of the Volga Federal District.

The event will focus on discussing effective measures to combat the circulation of counterfeit tobacco products, which has become a serious problem. Analysts predict that by the end of 2022, the loss to the federal budget from unpaid tobacco product and consumption taxes could reach 113 billion rubles.

All Russian authorities have taken legislative and organizational countermeasures, including preventative measures.

According to research from Russia's National Scientific Center for Combating the Illegal Trafficking of Industrial Products (NSCC), the average share of illegal tobacco products in Russia reached 12.1% in the third quarter of 2022, up from 11.5% in 2021. Meanwhile, the share of illegal cigarettes in the market of the Udmurt Republic in the third quarter of 2022 was 0.9%, a decrease of 2.3 percentage points compared to the same period in 2021. In the overall ranking of federal subjects of the Russian Federation, the Udmurt Republic rose from 30th place to 1st place.

During the roundtable conference, representatives of the Udmurt Republic will share their experiences in reducing the amount of illegal products in the region, and discuss further measures to strengthen the fight against counterfeit activities.

Representatives from government agencies, law enforcement agencies, retail and tobacco manufacturers, as well as public and political organizations participated in the discussion. Experts will evaluate the effectiveness of current measures and contribute to legislative initiatives aimed at reducing the number of counterfeit products and promoting market legalization.

Izhevsk Round Table Meeting Agenda:

The state of the illegal tobacco market in Russia and surrounding regions, efforts to combat the illicit distribution of tobacco products through law enforcement measures. Tools used to target underground channels, and necessary legislative action to address the problem. Monitoring of the illicit tobacco market, and collaboration between the government and businesses in the sector. The role of civil society organizations in combatting illegal tobacco distribution.

The roundtable meeting is scheduled to take place at the government building of the Udmurt Republic on December 12, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.

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