ASH (UK) news release:
France commits to go ahead with standardised ‘plain’ cigarette packs as Big Tobacco’s UK legal challenge draws to a close
The tobacco industry’s challenge to the UK’s standardised tobacco packaging regulations is drawing to a close today and a ruling is expected to be made by the judge, the Hon. Mr Justice Green, in the New Year. This follows the commitment by the French parliament yesterday to proceed with standardised packaging, and the announcement that the Philip Morris challenge to the Australian government on tobacco plain packaging under a 1993 investment treaty between Australia and Hong Kong has failed. [1]
Standardised ‘plain’ cigarette packaging is now spreading round the world, starting with Australia, followed by the UK and Ireland, with New Zealand, Norway, Hungary, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Bulgaria and Canada following on behind. Australia went first, implementing in 2012, the UK, Ireland and France will be next from 20th May 2016.