Allexis s.r.o. selected as the issuer of IDs in the traceability system for tobacco products in Finland
The Minister of Social Affairs and Health has selected the Slovakian company Allexis s.r.o. as the issuer of the mandatory identifiers associated with the traceability system for tobacco products
For the next five years, the company will issue the identifiers required by the Tobacco Act for tobacco products placed on the Finnish market.
In accordance with the EU Tobacco Products Directive, Member States shall ensure that all unit packets of tobacco products are marked with a unique identifier. In addition, all parties engaged in the supply chain of tobacco products must have identifier codes. This is part of the traceability system aiming to prevent illegal trade in tobacco products in EU Member States.
All operators and retailers engaged in the supply chain of tobacco products placed on the Finnish markets must apply for identifier codes from Allexis s.r.o. In addition, manufacturers and importers apply for unique identifiers for packaging from Allexis s.r.o. Allexis s.r.o. will provide an operating system and helpdesk (Finnish, Swedish, English) that will be in operation as of the week beginning on 22 April. Operators can begin to apply for identifier codes and unique identifiers from Allexis s.r.o. only as of 10 May, when the secondary repository of the repository provider appointed by the Commission (Dentsu) is taken into production use.
The packets of cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco must have unique identifiers as of 20 May 2019. Packets manufactured before 20 May 2019 may remain in free circulation for a year, until 20 May 2020. Tobacco products other than cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco will be subject to regulation as of 20 May 2024.
As of 20 July 2019, wholesalers may no longer sell cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco to operators that do not have identifier codes.
The tender for the tobacco product ID issuer was organised by Hansel Oy. A total of six bids were received by the due date. The scoring criteria were price, length of the unique identifier and date of service commencement.
Further information:
Meri Paavola, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 (0)295 163 343
Reetta Honkanen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 (0)29 51 63048