@article {Gallaghertobaccocontrol-2019-055094, author = {Allen William Andrew Gallagher and Anna B Gilmore and Michael Eads}, title = {Tracking and tracing the tobacco industry: potential tobacco industry influence over the EU{\textquoteright}s system for tobacco traceability and security features}, elocation-id = {tobaccocontrol-2019-055094}, year = {2019}, doi = {10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055094}, publisher = {BMJ Publishing Group Ltd}, abstract = {Background Subsequent to the transnational tobacco companies{\textquoteright} (TTC) history of involvement in tobacco smuggling, the Illicit Trade Protocol (ITP) requires that tobacco tracking and tracing (T\&T) systems be established independent of the industry. In response, TTCs developed a T\&T system, originally called Codentify, promoting it via an elaborate set of front groups to create a false impression of independence. The European Union (EU) is one of the first and largest jurisdictions to operationalise T\&T. We explore how industry efforts to influence T\&T have evolved.Methods Analysis of tobacco industry documents, policy documents, submissions to a relevant consultation and relationships between the tobacco industry and organisations proposed by it and approved by the European Commission to provide a data repository function within the EU{\textquoteright}s T\&T system.Findings 17 months after TTCs sold Codentify to Inexto and Philip Morris International claimed Inexto was independent, leaked documents suggest TTCs and Inexto continued to have a financial and operational relationship. Inexto{\textquoteright}s meetings with TTCs, engagement with EU Member States and promotion of industry-favoured technical standards suggest TTCs influenced Inexto{\textquoteright}s activities, using the company to undermine EU T\&T. The EU{\textquoteright}s T\&T system appears to be inconsistent with the ITP due to its {\textquoteleft}mixed{\textquoteright} governance and seven of eight organisations approved as data repository providers having pre-existing industry business links.Conclusions TTC{\textquoteright}s efforts to maximise their control and minimise external scrutiny of T\&T systems seriously limit attempts to address tobacco smuggling. Countries implementing T\&T should be alert to such efforts and should not replicate the EU system.}, issn = {0964-4563}, URL = {https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2019/08/30/tobaccocontrol-2019-055094}, eprint = {https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2019/08/30/tobaccocontrol-2019-055094.full.pdf}, journal = {Tobacco Control} }