Tobacco products to be tracked digitally in UAE

The UAE will begin digitally tracking cigarettes on January 1, 2019.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Federal Tax Authority (FTA), issued the decision to roll out the Marking Tobacco and Tobacco Products Scheme soon.

It will mark cigarettes, both imported and sold locally, so the FTA can ensure compliance with excise tax requirements.

The scheme will be rolled out beginning next year so producers and importers may place the marks on their products and from May 1, 2019, those without the marks will no longer be allowed to be imported into the UAE.

They also plan to expand to all other tobacco products in the future.