Philip Morris International 2004

 

The Agreement expired in July 2016.

Anti-Contraband and Anti-Counterfeit Agreement + appendixes:

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K

The PMI Agreement made an important contribution to fight PMI illicit trade in the past and helped bring an end to all past disputes between the parties - the European Commission, ten Member States of the European Union and Philip Morris International - relating to this issue.

However, the market and legislative framework has changed significantly since the entry into force of the Agreement. Illicit tobacco trade is a global problem which requires cooperation on a worldwide scale.

The European Commission has concluded that there is no need to prolong the Anti-Contraband and Anti-Counterfeit agreement between Philip Morris International (PMI), the Commission and EU Member States, after it expires on 9 July 2016. 

The Commission considers that the combination of the Tobacco Products Directive and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products negotiated in the context of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are the best instruments to fight illicit trade by regulatory means going forward. 

Modification Agreement signed 14 October 2014 adjusting the Anti-Contraband and Anti-Counterfeit Agreement to  the accessions of Member States which took place after 2004

• Summary of the Agreement 
• Background: Legal action by the European Commission against cigarette smuggling
• pr_en.pdfof the Commission
• Speech of Commissioner Michaele Schreyer
• Technical assessment of the experience made with the Anti-Contraband and Anti-Counterfeit Agreement and General Release of 9 July 2004 among Philip Morris International and affiliates, the Union and its Member States
• Vice-President Georgieva's statement of 6 July 2016 on the expiry of the PMI Agreement

Background information - about cigarettes seizures - from:

Bulgaria :

• Budget 2005 : damages to the European budget of over 3.1 million were prevented..., Ministry of Interior
• International cooperation with Bulgarian national service for combating organised crime..., Bulgarian National Service for Combating Organized Crime (NSCOC)
• "908 master boxes of fake “Benson & Hedges” cigarettes were destroyed today", Ministry of Interior

Cyprus :

• Statement on the seizures 2003, published by the Department of Customs & Excise 

Finland :

• Customs Anti-Fraud Report 2003, published by the National Board of Customs Anti-Fraud Unit 

France :

• La lutte contre la contrebande et la revente illicite de cigarettes
• 2003-2004 press-releases

Germany :

• Cigarettes smuggling statistics (1996/1998 2002)
• Sicherstellungen durch die Zollverwaltung (1998 2003)
• "Cigarettes smuggling" - Press release from Customs in Köln
• "Cigarettes smuggling : the situation in Germany", ZollKriminalamt (ZKA)
• "Die Zigaretten-Mafia greift an" - Bild am Sonntag, 2902.2004 

Ireland :

• "Cigarettes seized, man charged in Rosslare"

Italy :

• Statement of the seizures for 2003 and the beginning of 2004, published by the Customs (Agencia delle Dogane)

Lithuania :

• Statement of the seizures
• Annual performance report, published by the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania  

Luxembourg :

• Signature d'un accord de lutte contre la contrebande et la contrefaçon de cigarettes 09-07-2004 

Slovac Republic :

• Seizures of cigarettes and means of transport during the first six months of 2004 

Slovenia :

• Cigarette seizures for 2003-2004
• 2003-2004 press-releases

Spain :

• Statement of the seizures for 2003, Departamento de Aduanas e Impuestos Especiales  

Sweden :

• Social economic value of seizures of narcotics, alcohol and cigarettes

EU-15 :

• Statistics of cigarette seizures as of April 2004