Attendee's Geolocation
2019 Review
Tax Stamp Forum Goes Back to Where it All Began
This year the Tax Stamp Forum turned 10 years old, and to mark this milestone anniversary, we thought we’d return to where it all began 10 years ago, by holding the 2019 forum in the same city. And we have to say that it was great to be back!
The forum kicked off with a brief introduction by Astrid Mitchell, Chief Executive, Reconnaissance, who took us on a journey through the different locations that have played host to the event over the last decade.
After Budapest in 2009, the forum moved to London in 2011, and then across the pond to Washington DC in 2012. It then came back to Europe in 2013, in Vienna, before heading off to Dubai in 2014, then back over the Atlantic to Miami a year later, and Berlin in 2017. The 2018 event was a milestone in that it was held for the first time on African soil, in Nairobi, Kenya. And now back to Budapest this year.
This gives a total of nine forums – as opposed to 10 – given that up to now they have been held every 15 to 18 months.
You will see that we have endeavoured, in general, to cover locations where there is interest in and activity around excise tax stamp programmes. However gaps remain, particularly in respect of Asia and Latin America, and we do need to look at bringing future forums to these regions, especially given the extensive tax stamp activities taking place there – and also given that Tax Stamp Forum is a global event which needs to be globally present.
As Astrid Mitchell commented in her opening remarks at this year’s event, ‘although we use the words ‘tax stamp’ to describe this forum it covers so much more than the stamp itself. The stamp is a component of a much broader ecosystem for excise collection, product authentication, secure track and trace and production monitoring.’
She continued, ‘we would like to think that, with all that’s been going on, at international level in particular, with the FCTC Protocol and EU Tobacco Products Directive, that when we were setting up the Tax Stamp Forum 10 years ago, we saw all these developments coming. But to be honest we didn’t really, it just sort of happened, but I’m glad that we were fortunate to be there at the right place and right time in order that we can now be of service to those concerned by these developments.’
Attendance Honours List
To mark the 10-year anniversary, Astrid presented an ‘honours list’ of 10 delegates who had attended the first forum in 2009 and who were also present at this forum 10 years later. And out of those 10 delegates, two were identified as having attended all nine forums: Pat Fitzmaurice of DLR Security Concepts and Kelly Smith of Ashton Potter. Astrid congratulated these longstanding delegates and as a token of appreciation for their continuing support presented them with a bottle of Pálinka, the local Hungarian fruit brandy, complete, of course, with a tax stamp.
Some Stats
The 2019 event was attended by just under 240 attendees from 50 countries and 116 different organisations. In addition, around 25 government organisations from across the world were in attendance, mainly consisting of tax revenue authorities. These included authorities from Guyana, Chile, Israel, Poland, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Georgia, European Commission, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Botswana, India, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Taiwan, Moldova, Lesotho, Romania and of course the host nation, Hungary.
Georgia here we Come
To kick off the next 10 years of the Tax Stamp Forum, we are pleased to announce that Georgia Revenue Service has invited us to hold the next event in Tbilisi, Georgia. We are also happy to advise that from now on we will be holding the forum on a 12-month cycle, therefore the date for the Tbilisi forum will be October 2020. So please mark your diaries now!
And one other change to announce is that Tax Stamp Forum will now be called:
Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™
This change is in line with the fact that, as Astrid said above, it’s not just about tax stamps.
On a final note, Reconnaissance would like to express its sincere thanks to the 13 sponsors, 21 exhibitors, 35 speakers and panellists, government authorities and all other delegates, for making the 10th anniversary Tax Stamp Forum an event to remember.
THANK YOU!
Hungarian Banknote
Optel Group
Rwanda Revenue Authority
Portuguese Mint – Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda
Botswana Revenue Authority
De la Rue
Attendees
Advanced Track & Trace (ATT)
France
Agencia Tributaria
Spain
Agencija za Komercijalnu Djelatnost (AKD) d.o.o.
Croatia
Agenzia delle Dogane
Italy
Agfa NV
Belgium
Allexis s.r.o
Slovakia
Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Transformative Services
United Kingdom
Antares Vision SpA
Italy
ANY Security Printing Company PLC
Hungary
Arjo Solutions
France
Ashton Potter Security Printers
USA
Association of European Cancer Leagues
Belgium
Authentication Solution Providers Association (ASPA)
India
Authentix Inc
USA
Axess Technologies Ltd.
United Kingdom
BALDWIN | Vision Systems
USA
Baldwin Technology Ltd
United Kingdom
Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC)
Bangladesh
Beijing Boda Green High-Tech Limited
China
BM Grob Consulting
United Kingdom
Botswana Unified Revenue Service
Botswana
Bundesdruckerei GmbH
Germany
Canadian Bank Note Company Ltd
Canada
Cartor Security Printing
France
Center of Information Technologies in Finance, Republic of Moldova
Moldova
Chan Wanich Security Printing Co. Ltd
Thailand
DATA. UA
Ukraine
De La Rue
United Kingdom
Department of Excise Entertainment & Luxury Tax Govt. of Delhi
India
Drewsen Spezialpapiere GmbH & Co. KG
Germany
European Commission – Taxation and Customs Union
Belgium
Fair-trade Independent Tobacco Association
South Africa
Federal Board of Revenue – Pakistan
Pakistan
Flint Group UK
Belgium
FNMT (Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre – Real Casa de la Moneda)
Spain
Garsų Pasaulis UAB
Lithuania
Gietz AG
Switzerland
Goebel GmbH
Germany
Government of NCT of Delhi
India
Graphimecc Group S.r.l.
Italy
Guyana Revenue Authority
Guyana
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Germany
Henan Province Wellking Technologies Co, Ltd
China
Hewlett Packard Indigo
France
HoloGrate JSC
Russia
Hueck Folien GmbH
Austria
Hungarian Banknote Printing Shareholding Company
Hungary
Industrial Innovation Group
Ukraine
Inexto SA
Switzerland
Intergraf
Belgium
IQ Structures
Czech Republic
Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato S.p.A.
Italy
Journalism Development Network
Bosnia and Herzegovina
JT International SA
Switzerland
Jura JSP GmbH
Austria
KBA-NotaSys SA
Switzerland
Kenya Revenue Authority
Kenya
Koenig & Bauer AG
Germany
Korea Security Printing & Minting Corp (KOMSCO)
South Korea
La Poste
France
Lake Image Systems Ltd
United Kingdom
Leonhard Kurz Stiftung & Co KG
Germany
Lesotho Revenue Authority
Lesotho
Luminescence SunChemical Security
United Kingdom
Luminochem KFT
Hungary
Madras Security Printers Private Limited
India
Manipal Technologies Limited
India
Mauritius Revenue Authority
Mauritius
Ministry of Finance – Israel Tax Authority
Israel
Ministry of Finance – Poland
Poland
Ministry of Finance – Taiwan
Taiwan
Ministry of Finance – Thailand
Thailand
Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy
Mozambique
National Security Ventures FZE
United Arab Emirates
National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (NTCA)
Hungary
Nolax AG
Switzerland
Operator-CRPT
Russia
OpSec Security Group
United Kingdom
OPTEL Group (Ireland)
Ireland
Papeteries De Vizille
France
Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad
Malaysia
Peruri
Indonesia
Philip Morris International Management S.A.
Russia
POLAR-Mohr
Germany
Polish Security Printing Works (PWPW)
Poland
Portuguese Mint – Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda SA
Portugal
QualiTV
Israel
Red Nacional Antitabaco RENATA
Costa Rica
Revenue Commissioners – Ireland
Ireland
Revenue Service of Georgia
Georgia
Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA)
Rwanda
Schwarz Druck GmbH
Germany
SECOIA Executive Consultants AG / Ltd
Switzerland
Securikett Ulrich & Horn GmbH
Austria
Security Fibres UK Limited
United Kingdom
Security Print Solutions
United Kingdom
Servicio de Impuestos Internos – Chile
Chile
SICPA SA
Switzerland
Smurfit Kappa Security Concepts
Ireland
Sovereign Border Solutions
South Africa
SPM – Security Paper Mill a.s.
Czech Republic
Sri Lanka Customs
Sri Lanka
ST Securities Limited
United Kingdom
SURYS
France
Systech International
USA
The Excise Department – Thailand
Thailand
Thomas Greg & Sons de Colombia SA
Colombia
Toppan Europe GmbH
Germany
Tullis Russell Coaters Limited
United Kingdom
Uganda Revenue Authority
Uganda
Venture Global Consulting
USA
VerifyMe Inc.
USA
William Consultant Co. Ltd
Thailand
Worldline
Belgium
ZEISER GmbH
Germany
Kenya Revenue Authority
Manipal Technologies
Sri Lanka Customs
Programme
Wednesday 11 September
9:00 – 12:00
Closed Meeting for Government Authorities Hosted by International Tax Stamp Association
The International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) will be hosting a closed meeting for government authorities only, thereby giving them the opportunity to meet each other for more intimate discussions before the Tax Stamp Forum begins.
Workshop 1
Workshop 2
14:00 – 15:30
Back to Basics: What is a Tax Stamp?
Ian Lancaster of Reconnaissance International takes us through the answers to some basic but important questions.
- What are tax stamps and why do we use them?
- How are they made and what are they made of?
- Why do they need protecting?
- How are they protected?
- Why serialise and track and trace them?
- How do we do this?
- What is the difference between track and trace and secure track and trace?
- What are the relevant international standards that apply to tax stamps?
- What are the most cost-effective ways of producing tax stamps?
16:00 – 17:30
Back to Basics: Core Principles for the Governance and Operating Model for Track and Trace
Michael Eads and Telita Snyckers of Sovereign Border Solutions take us through the principles of secure track and trace and automated production monitoring systems, with the following focus areas:
- Governance models;
- Independence from tobacco industry, as per the WHO FCTC Protocol;
- Model contracts for track and trace solutions and procurement options (eg. PPP, concession agreements, straight procurement).
Thursday 12 September
Hover on the presentation title or speaker to see if more information is available.
Presentation is available for download, click on the icon to access the download page.
Session 1: Dawn of a New Landscape
09:10
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Colonel Kristóf Péter Bakai
National Tax and Customs Administration (Hungary)
09:20
The Current State of Affairs: Illicit Trade Levels, and New Regulations, Standards and Technologies
Nicola Sudan
International Tax Stamp Association (United Kingdom)
09:40
Why Tax Stamp Programmes do not Always Reach Their Full Potential – and What We Can Do to Fix this
Telita Snyckers
Sovereign Border Solutions (South Africa)
Session 2: Getting Ready for International Regulations
11:30
Gearing up for an Effective, FCTC-Compliant Tobacco Control Solution
Ruggero Milanese
SICPA (Switzerland)
12:10
The Cost of Security -possibilities for finding cost-effective security solutions
Géza Imre
ANY Security Printing (Hungary)
Session 3: Panel Discussion including Q&A
13:50
The FCTC is Coming
Chair:
Adrian Stone, ST Securities (United Kingdom)
Panellists:
- Aftab Baloch, Formerly Federal Board of Revenue (Pakistan)
- Luk Joossens, Association of European Cancer Leagues (Belgium)
- Michael Eads, Sovereign Border Solutions (South Africa)
- Michal Zuzula, Allexis, (Slovakia)

Session 4: New Tax Stamp/Traceability Initiatives from Around the World
15:35
Think Ink: the Role that Innovative Inks can Play in Securing Tax Stamps
Gerben van Wijk
Luminescence Sun Chemical Security (United Kingdom)
15:55
Digital Tax Administration
Elguja Loliashvili
Georgia Revenue Service (Georgia)
Davit Chitaishvili
Georgia Revenue Service (Georgia)
16:15
Traceability in Tobacco Products and Unique Identifiers: the Spanish Case
Luis Gavira Caballero
Ministry of Finance (Spain)
Carlos Gómez Gómez
FNMT-RCM (Spain)
16:35
The Future of the Tax Stamp as a Tool for ALL Government Agencies
Karambu Muthaura
Kenya Revenue Authority (Kenya)
16:55
Introducing Tax Stamps for Liquor and Liquor-Based Products: the Sri Lankan Experience
Aqthar Hassen
Sri Lanka Customs (Sri Lanka)
Friday 13 September
Session 5: Digital Printing, Blockchain and the Full Tax Stamp Lifecycle
09:20
Can Tax Stamp be Printed 100% Digitally and Achieve Level of Security Required?
Jeroen Van Bauwel
Xeikon (Belgium)
09:40
Modular Tax Stamp Solution for Revenue Protection – Added Value for Taxation Authorities
Michael Ritschewald
LEONHARD KURZ (Germany)
10:00
How is Blockchain Impacting Secure Track and Trace, and what if Covert Security Alone was Enough?
Sven Bergmann
Venture Global (USA)
Session 6: Pharma, Fuel and Country Cases
11:10
Security Printing Solutions Traceability Age: the Italian Bollino for Pharmaceutical Products
Enrico Colaiacovo
Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (Italy)
11:30
The Mozambique Oil Marking Experience
Berta Macamo
Autoridade Tributaria de Mocambique (Mozambique)
11:50
The Role of an Electronic Tax Stamp System in Supporting the Industrial Economy and Boosting Revenue in Tanzania
Abdul Yussufu Mapembe|Innocent Minja
Tanzania Revenue Authority (Tanzania)
12:10
Adaptive Traceability – Implementation of Malta’s Digital Tax Stamp and TPD Solution
David Thomas
OpSec Security (United Kingdom)
12:30
Update on Rwanda’s Digital Stamps with Tracking System
R Asir Ratan Singh
Madras Security Printers (India)
Session 7: Codes and Foils
14:10
UniQode: A Machine-Readable System for Unique and Unclonable Excise and Tax stamps
Nuno Gonçalves
Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda (Portugal)
14:30
The Innovative Application of Linear and Cross-Striping Security Foils for Tax Stamps
Bernhard Grob
Rotary Logic (United Kingdom)
14:50
The New Cigarette Tax Stamp implementation in Chile
Victor Villalon
Servicio de Impuestos Internos (Chile)
Session 8: Studies and Standards
16:20
Key Learnings – Hit and Miss Trends and Developments in Tax Stamps in India
Chander Jeena
Authentication Solution Providers' Association (India)
16:40
Streamlining of Tax Stamp Procurement with Intergraf’s ISO 14298
Doris Schulz-Pätzold
Intergraf (Belgium)
Cartor Security Printing
Mauritius Revenue Authority
SURYS
Sponsors
Thank you to our 2019 Sponsors and Exhibitors
Many thanks to the following sponsors and exhibitors for taking part in our wonderful exhibition running alongside the conference:
Platinum – Madras Security Printers
Gold – ANY Security Printing Company, Authentix, De La Rue, Hungarian Banknote Printing Company, Jura JSP, Opsec, SICPA, SYSTECH
Silver – Allexis s.r.o, FNMT, Luminescence Sun Chemical Security, Security Fibres UK
Exhibitors – Advanced Track & Trace, AGFA Graphics, ArjoSolutions, Baldwin, Bundesdruckerei, DREWSEN SPEZIALPAPIERE, Gietz, Graphimecc, HP Indigo, ITSA, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato Italiano, Lake Image Systems, Luminochem, OVD Kinegram / KURZ, Papeteries De Vizille, Polar, Securikett, SPM – Security Paper Mill, Wellking Technologies Co. Ltd, ZEISER