Traceability system for tobacco products
Economic operators can now register in the live production system to use the track and trace system for tobacco products.
We recommend that you first contact your wholesaler.
Many wholesalers support their partners and handle registration for the track-and-trace system for tobacco products on behalf of their partners.
If you would like to register yourself, please open the registration portal.
Our step-by-step guide will take you through the registration process.
The following information is required for registration according to the TPD and should be kept at the ready:
- The name of the company
- Company address
- Valid e‑mail address
- A valid mobile phone number (to be used once to send the initial password in a text message)
- VAT ID number
- Tax ID number
- Form of business organization
When the economic operator is registered for the first time, the VAT/tax ID number is validated along with the required information regarding the form of business organization. During validation of the VAT/tax ID number it is not possible to place orders for upUIs and aUIs via the self-management portal. This validation usually takes no more than two working days. After validation has been completed, you will receive an e-mail. During this time, however, you can use all of the other functions of the self-management portal. In order to avoid technical problems, no orders for upUIs and aUIs should be placed via the API while validation is underway.
Once you have successfully registered, you can login to the self-management portal. The current interface specifications are stored for you.
Bundesdruckerei GmbH is the national issuer for unique identifiers and identification codes.
Since 20 May 2019, all economic operators (manufacturers, importers and retailers) have been required to register on the basis of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). The (TPD) regulates the manufacture, packaging and sale of tobacco products. This ensures that tobacco products can be tracked and traced throughout the entire European Union. In Germany, Bundesdruckerei is the ID issuer of unique identifiers.
The ID issuer:
- Provides a registration portal and an ordering portal
- Registers all economic operators involved from industry and commerce
- Produces and issues the unique identifiers both in electronic and physical form for unit packs and aggregated packaging
Information regarding the individual unique identifiers can be found in Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/574. The European Commission provides a portal with information about the track and trace system and the security features.
You will also find all the protocols of the EU subgroup for tracking and tracing as well as security features. This committee explains, for instance, issues regarding registration requirements and other topics.
Instructions ID Issuer
Registration
If you would like to register yourself, please open the registration portal.
This guide will take you through the registration process.
These instructions guide you step-by-step through the respective process of importing a TLS certificate into your browser. Please select the appropriate browser for this purpose:
When an economic operator registers for the first time, the VAT/Tax ID number and the form of business are validated. During validation of the VAT/Tax ID number, it is not possible to place orders for upUIs (Unit Pack Unique Identifiers) or for aUIs (Aggregated Unique Identifiers) via the self-management portal. This validation usually takes no more than two working days. After validation has been completed, you will receive an e-mail. During this time, however, you can use all of the other functions of the self-management portal. In order to avoid technical problems, no orders for upUIs and aUIs should be placed via the API (Application Programming Interface) while validation is underway.
Information about the test system
Since 30 January 2019, Bundesdruckerei GmbH, as the ID issuer of unique identifiers, has been offering a test system to economic operators from the tobacco industry and retail sector. This system can be used to test all registration and ordering procedures as well as the interface (API). You can reach the test system here. The interface specification can be found here.
Please note that you will have to register again in the live production system.
You will first need to register. Following registration, we will e-mail you your credentials for the test system of the self-management portal along with the required TLS certificate.
If you wish to register or request unique identifiers via an API (interface), you can download the entire API specification here. The specification file can be viewed, for instance, using the Swagger Editor.
- Registration (GUI only) and receipt of an EOID as well as login data for the self-management portal
- Self‑management portal (GUI/API): Creating, changing, deactivating data and receiving the FID, MID and EOID
- Ordering upUIs (unit pack unique identifiers)
The upUIs comply with the UI structure which Bundesdruckerei published together with the External Interface Specification on 15 October 2018. This will be amended before productive operation starts. upUIs contain a static primary information block and can only be obtained via the self-management portal (and not via the API).
It is not possible to order aUIs (aggregated UIs). It is possible to test an order for upUIs with physical delivery (printed on tax stamps), however, without delivery of tax stamps.
All data that is entered into the system during the test phase will be deleted when the test phase ends and will not be transferred into the productive system. When productive operation starts, all registrations must be made again.
According to the TPD, all the identifier codes and UIs issued during test operation are not valid.
CODES
EOID stands for Economic Operator ID and is the identification code for economic operators.
Any company wishing to sell tobacco requires such a number to identify them. Please contact your wholesaler to receive an EOID.
FID stands for Facility Identifier Code and is the identification code of a facility.
The facility can be a production site, a warehouse, a retail outlet or even a cigarette vending machine. To receive an FID, you will need to sign into the self-management portal and register a facility.
UI stands for Unique Identifier and is the identification code for each pack containing tobacco products.
Each unit pack or aggregated packaging is marked with a unique alphanumerical code during production.
GDPR
All data collected during the registration process must be collected for a specific purpose according to the GDPR.
This includes the following information required for registration according to the TPD:
- The name of the company
- Company address
- Valid e-mail address
- VAT ID number
- Tax ID number
- Form of business organization
- Valid mobile phone number
The FAQs are based on the current situation and will be updated at regular intervals.
If you have any questions, contact us:
We will be pleased to assist you.
You can reach our Call and Support Center by sending an e-mail to ID-Issuer@bdr.de. Our Call and Support Center is also available 24/7 by calling +49(0)30 2598-4044.
