Cuba on 3 May became the fourth country to lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organisation against Australia's plain packaging restrictions on tobacco products, according to the WTO.

Cuba told the trade organisation it wants consultations with Australia, the first step in the WTO dispute process that allows 60 days for the two countries to reach agreement. Failure to solve their differences bilaterally would put the dispute before a WTO panel. Ukraine, the Dominican Republic and Honduras also have filed complaints with the WTO against the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act of 2011. (ci)