PR: New members boost expanding tax stamp trade body

The International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA) has secured two new members in a move that strengthens its growing role as an authoritative voice on illicit global trade and effective revenue protection solutions.

The move sees Agfa Graphics, which develops and supplies tax stamp design software to support tax authentication programmes in Belgium and Luxembourg among other countries, join ITSA alongside the Portuguese Mint and Official Printing Office (INCM), Imprensa Nacional Casa da Modeda SA.

Stamps printed and produced by INCM are used in tax payment validation and authentication initiatives across Portugal, including national government and agency programmes designed to secure tobacco and spirits excise revenues.

The Association, founded in 2015, has expanded its membership base to 18 as it continues to highlight the global role and impact of tax stamp technology – it is also keen to recruit additional members.

The growing recognition of the critical role of excise tax stamps led to leading industry companies and stakeholders coming together to form ITSA.

More than 140 billion tobacco and alcohol stamps in the form of securely affixed labels are issued every year by over 150 provincial and national revenue agencies around the world. Such devices provide visible proof of tax payment and revenue collection, tax stamps have also taken on product authentication and anti-tampering applications.

Chair Juan Carlos Yañez Arenas said: “We look forward to Agfa and INCM’s strong involvement in helping ITSA support and advocate for the development of standards and the promotion of tax stamps.

“We continue to strengthen our position as the definitive voice for those involved in tax stamps. We’re also a driving force behind an industry tax stamp standard, ISO 22382, which will contribute to securing tax revenues and global supply chains from 2018 onwards.”

ISO 22382 will raise the bar for the broader sector and facilitate a strong degree of parity and harmony - all countries using stamps, and those not using them, will benefit from access to programmes that are in line with the best and most effective on the market.

Other organisations within the sector are being urged to join ITSA’s ranks as it gathers momentum. Membership is open to legally incorporated companies and businesses that supply tax stamp components and features, as well as finished tax stamps, equipment for stamp design, manufacture, application and authentication, and systems for coding and marking stamps.