On 6 May 2012, the WHO Representative’s Office in Egypt in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office held a one-day seminar to discuss the adoption and implementation of the banderole system with Egypt’s Ministries of Health and Population and Finance.

An expert from Kenya shared his country’s successful experience in applying the banderole system to domestic, imported and exported cigarettes.

Banderole is an "enhanced tax stamp" system. It is a cost-effective way for governments to: monitor tobacco production and movements, reduce non-compliance by tobacco manufacturers and distributors, and counter the illicit production and trade of tobacco products.

It also can be linked to a real-time electronic monitoring system database for tax authorities, that records production/importation of various brands and other products right from factory premises or point of entry; thus helping in tax calculations, verifying market trends and also useful in reviewing tax policies on tobacco products.

Governments are encouraged to consider implementing such a tracking and tracing system on tobacco products, as this is one of the key provisions of the recently agreed draft "protocol to curb illicit trade in tobacco products", that is expected to be adopted by the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in the forthcoming Conference Session later this year.