State control in the field of import and production of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages will be strengthened in Azerbaijan.

APA reports that President Ilham Aliyev signed an Order on this matter.

According to the order, the Cabinet of Ministers must submit its proposals on the following issues to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan within six months:

- in order to organize a transparent economic activity related to the import and production of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, the introduction of the permit system for the production and import of tobacco products and the improvement of the permit system related to the import and production of alcoholic beverages;

- implementation of the mechanism of advance payment of excise tax on tobacco products during the purchase of stamps (mandatory marking);

- determination of the minimum price requirement for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages, taking into account international experience;

- tightening of liability measures against persons who carry out the import and production of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages in violation of the requirements of the legislation;

- Determination of requirements for the use of local raw materials in the production of tobacco products within the country based on the proposals of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan should submit to the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan the proposals agreed upon with the relevant institutions in order to gradually increase the excise rates applied to tobacco products and alcoholic beverages within six months, taking into account the international experience, as well as the requirements and recommendations of the World Health Organization.