G/TBT/N/BHR/636  
2 August 2022  
(22-5763) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism  
Kingdom of Bahrain  
P.O. Box 5479  
Tel.: +973 17574881  
Fax: +973 17530730  
E-mail: bsmd@moic.gov.bh . 
Web site: http://www.moic.gov.bh  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  
Enforcement of Excise Digital Tax stamp for cigarettes in Kingdom of Bahrain (ICS: 
65.160)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Enforcement of 
Excise Digit al Tax stamp for cigarettes in Kingdom of Bahrain  
6. Description of content:  All cigarettes products imported to Kingdom of Bahrain must 
have the digital stamps placed in the packaging.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The Kingdom of Bahrain is committed to regional and international 
agreements, such as the Common Excise Tax Agreement of the States of the GCC, to 
trace and control the consumption of excise goods which are considered to be harmful to 
human health and to the environment. The introduction of Excise is an initiative intended 
towards the consumption of healthier alternatives and away from the consumption of 
harmful products, as well as ensuring proper tracing of these excisable products to av oid 
illicit trading, smuggling and the possibilities of counterfeiting.; Prevention of deceptive 
practices and consumer protection; Protection of human health or safety; Protection of 
the environment  G/TBT/N/BHR/636  
 
- 2 - 
 
  8. Relevant documents:  CE decision regarding Excise Digital Tax stamp (Arabic only).  
CE decision regarding Enforcement of Excise Digital Tax stamp for cigarettes (Arabic 
only).  
The amended CE decision regarding Enforcement of Excise Digital Tax stamp for 
cigarettes (Arabic only).  
The implementation of the Digital Stamps Scheme is in accordance with the Common 
Excise Tax Agreement of the States of the Gulf Cooperatio n Council  (Arabic only).  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The date of publication of the first CE decision in the Official 
Gazette on 10th March 2022  
The date of publication of the amended CE decision in the Official Gazette on 12th May 
2022 
Proposed date of entry into force:  Imported cigarettes products implementation 
milestone 17th July 2022  
Local markets implementation milestone 16th October 2022  
10. Final date for comments:  - 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Email : bsmd@moic.gov.bh  
Website: http://www.moic.gov.bh  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/BHR/22_5066_00_x.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/BHR/22_5066_01_x.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/BHR/22_5066_02_x.pdf