New trade body formed for alcohol tax stamps

A new global trade association has been formed to “provide a collective voice” for the alcohol tax stamps sector.

Alcohol tax stamps are used by governments to collect tax revenues and can also help authenticate products

Founded by 10 stakeholders, the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) aims to “ensure the better understanding of the benefits of tax stamp technology and to promote the highest professional standards within the sector”.

ITSA will “provide a collective voice” for those involved in the design, manufacture and use of alcohol tax stamps.

It will also “promote the benefits” of tax stamps for excise duty collection, as well as educate customs and revenue agencies on how they can better secure excise revenues and share best practice among those involved in the industry.

More than 250 revenue agencies, including national and state governments, use tax stamps to collect duty and excise payments on alcohol and tobacco.

The ITSA estimates that around 140 billion stamps are produced every year. In addition to their revenue collecting function, these stamps can also help authenticate products and possess anti-tampering applications.

ITSA members are currently developing a new standard to improve “the overall quality of tax stamps”.

The organisation’s board of directors includes: Michel Mariton of Hologram Industries, Zbigniew Sagan of Advanced Track & Trace, Manoj Kochar of Holoflex, Christine Macqueen of SICPA and Juan Yanez of Thomas Greg & Sons de Colombia, who was also elected chairman.

“Tax stamps play a fundamental and essential role in collecting important and highly valuable revenues across the globe,” said Yanez.

“In bringing together representatives from all parts of the industry, the creation of the new association represents a highly significant step in helping to ensure that effective collaboration and best practice is maintained between the industry, regulators and policymakers.”

Membership of ITSA is open to legally incorporated companies and businesses that supply tax stamp components and features.