Tobacco (EU TPD)

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May 2019: The entire EU went live with the TPD regulation, which is the most complex regulation related to serialisation and traceability ever imposed upon an industry. All finished cigarette goods (FMC, RYO/MYO) needed to be coded and Tracked & Traced along the supply chain up until the last economic operator before retail.

September 2023: FCTC: +60 countries around the world will go live with the new tobacco regulation

May 2024: EUTPD for OTP (other tobacco products: cigars, chewing tobacco, HnB) will go live as the final stage of TPD for all EU countries

September 2028: FCTC for OTP, for +60 countries

European Track&Trace regulations (EU TPD) for the tobacco industry

Designated production plans determine the number of Unique Identifiers. Unique Identifiers are requested from the ID issuer of the destination market a minimum of 48 hours before production starts.

These DOT or Data Matrix codes are applied to individual packs. The packs are put into outers; outers are coded with a unique Data Matrix code (requested or auto-generated). Outers to mastercases are also coded with 2D or linear code. Cases to pallets are coded by SSCC. Codes are associated in a parent/child structure. All codes are stored in a private repository and then transferred to a primary repository (one per manufacturer or importer) and to a secondary repository (one for the industry).

Pallets are stored in WH (Factory WH + Market WH). Every event in the warehouse (unpacking, packing, destruction, shipments, returns) is also recorded via scanning and stored in the three repositories mentioned above. Every event generates a EUTPD message that will be validated. Only upon positive acknowledgement can goods be shipped to the next stage. This message contains all the info about the product (unique identifier, hierarchy information), transport info (license plate, customs documentation), and order. These messages need to be sent within a 24-hour timeframe prior to shipment.

And for shipment within 24 hours post-event. Goods are then shipped to distributors/3PL/DSD.

Invoice and payment information is also sent to the primary and secondary repositories via a separate information flow.

The good's arrival to the distributor/3PL/DSD has to be recorded via scanning as with any other event. EUTPD messages need to be sent within 24 hours after the goods are received.

Processes and functionalities performed by wholesalers ("X-Layer") are recorded and transmitted to the secondary repository via the router.

The goods are finally shipped to the first retailer outlet, where traceability ends.

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