The government is dedicated to a robust battle against the illegal tobacco trade and is proud of the positive outcomes achieved thus far, including increased excise revenue from these products, as stated by Finance Minister Novica Vuković.

He further noted that the government is focused on enhancing strategic initiatives in this area and modernizing the operations of tax and customs authorities.

Vuković, alongside Acting Director of the Customs Administration, Maja Vučinić, is attending the regular annual Excise Stamps and Traceability Forum (TSTF) in Cape Town, invited by the World Bank (WB).

“Throughout this three-day forum, participants will share information and experiences regarding the latest advancements in excise stamp and traceability systems, exploring potential solutions to increasing challenges that help countries maintain essential revenues from excise products,” the Ministry stated.

Both Vuković and Vučinić are engaging actively in working sessions and discussions on fiscal and excise policies during a series of meetings.

During these discussions, the significance of further strengthening Montenegro’s economic ties with the global community was highlighted.

This year’s forum emphasizes the implementation and enhancement of the excise stamp system, which serves as a vital tool for monitoring tax obligations and bolstering the traceability of financial transactions related to excise products (Track & Trace System).

While in Cape Town, Vuković also took part in discussions and workshops centered around new technologies, the digitalization of the tax system, and ways to foster better cooperation between countries regarding tax policy.

“The forum also deliberated on the integration of the excise management system into a comprehensive e-government platform, uniting various services under a single framework,” the statement noted.

Linstrom Marangu, a representative from the African Tax Administrations Forum (ATAF), led a panel discussion on this topic, examining why some nations opt to keep their excise systems separate and how solution providers can facilitate their integration.

Furthermore, the increasing demand to include raw materials, like tobacco leaves, in a product traceability program—not just the finished product—was discussed.

In this vein, World Bank representative Hana Ross presented Poland’s journey toward regulating the raw tobacco market, including the application of excise stamps on dried tobacco.

The forum showcased how multiple technologies are simultaneously transforming the stamp and traceability sector, including digitalization, the influence of artificial intelligence, and the possibilities presented by quantum computing.

The Cape Town forum gathered international representatives from government bodies responsible for implementing excise and customs policies, inspection agencies and law enforcement, regulators, manufacturers, distributors of cigarettes, alcohol, and other excise products, as well as technology providers for authentication and serialization systems.

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