No final consensus has been reached on whether any exclusion would target only tobacco companies or shield a wider range of government regulations from legal action, but Australia’s Andrew Robb is optimistic about his country’s push for a broad carve-out for both health and environmental regulations.
“I think we’re on track, but there’s not a final decision yet,” he told Reuters on the sidelines of the Atlanta meetings.
Similar rules in a separate trade treaty allowed Marlboro maker Philip Morris to sue Australia over tobacco plain-packaging laws banning branded cigarette packs.