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The World Trade Organization (WTO) has confirmed Australia's anti-smoking law, pbaded in 2012, which requires cigarette manufacturers to sell their products in packaging with no, almost identical, logos. between them. This is an important decision, as it could pave the way for similar legislative initiatives in other countries of the world, which would add to those that, in recent years, have moved to packages without logos similar to Australia.
challenged by the tobacco multinationals and by Cuba, Indonesia, Honduras and the Dominican Republic – four tobacco producing countries – within the international dispute settlement body of l '; WTO. Because of these pressures, other states had postponed provisions to introduce packages without logos, waiting to see what would have been decided for Australia. Since 2012, France, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Slovenia and Hungary have pbaded laws that require cigarette packs to be anonymous. Other countries, including Belgium, Canada, India and Turkey, are considering adopting similar laws.
The upper part of Australian packaging is rotten green and bears the name of the manufacturer in blank, the same policy for all companies; on the sides, on the other hand, only explicit images are printed with warnings about damage that can cause smoke. Tobacco producing countries argued that Australian law violated WTO rules on intellectual property, as it prevented the use of the logos of cigarette companies and imposed barriers to trade. illicit. Philip Morris International and Japan Tobacco, two large tobacco companies, argued that the law could be the precedent for other similar laws in other countries, including alcoholic beverages or so-called "tobacco". junk food". They also argued that anonymous packs facilitate the counterfeiting of cigarettes.
However, for the WTO, Australia has the right to impose restrictions on cigarette packs since the organization's agreements allow countries to enact laws. to protect the health of its citizens. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends similar measures to Australian law to combat smoking habits. Cuba, Indonesia, Honduras and the Dominican Republic now have 90 days to appeal the WTO ruling – although it is likely that the deadline can be postponed, as is C & B. Is generally the case for the WTO remedies
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