British American Tobacco signs a cooperation agreement worth EUR 134 million to tackle illicit tobacco trade

British American Tobacco (BAT) announced yesterday that it has signed a cooperation agreement with the European Commission and the member states of the European Union to collectively tackle the problem of illicit trade in tobacco.

“The total losses sustained by the EU and the member states as a result of illicit tobacco have run into billions of Euros every year”, said company representatives.

Under the agreement, BAT plans to join forces with and work alongside the European Commission and the law enforcement authorities of the member states. The agreement includes the funding by BAT of USD 200 million (EUR 134 million) over the next 20 years.

“This agreement marks a significant step in strengthening cooperation in the fight against tobacco crime throughout the EU. Along with the European Commission and the Member States, we are sending out a very strong message to the criminals who counterfeit our products and evade taxes by smuggling – their activities will not be tolerated. We are confident that by working alongside the European Commission and the Member States, we will make a serious impact on the levels of illicit trade in tobacco”, said Jack Bowles, director of Western Europe for the company.

Simona Bazavan

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