Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates launched a litigation fund to help countries fight off industry legal challenges to strong tobacco laws, Bloomberg Philanthropies said.

“We are at a critical moment in the global effort to reduce tobacco use, because the significant gains we have seen are at risk of being undermined by the tobacco industry’s use of trade agreements and litigation,” former New York mayor Bloomberg said in a statement. The fund is intended to counter tobacco companies use of international trade agreements to “threaten and prevent countries from passing strong tobacco-control laws”, the statement said.
An initial USD 4 million (EUR 3.8 million) will be invested in the Anti-Tobacco Trade Litigation Fund to be administered by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The money will come from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. In addition to the financial backing, the fund will offer technical assistance in drafting legislation and creation of a network of senior lawyers experienced in trade litigation.