The Dominican Republic has petitioned the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to rule whether Australia’s plain-packaging law for tobacco products discriminates against the Caribbean nation's cigar industry.

A request for a panel ruling under WTO dispute settlement procedures could result in its creation when the Dispute Settlement Body meets on 17 Dec, according to a statement distributed on Marketwire. Plain packaging violates provisions of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), according to the statement.
Australia will mandate a standard package colour and design for tobacco products from 1 Dec.
“Our premium cigars will be dressed as discount products, which people will continue to smoke; prices will ultimately fall, affecting the livelihood of more than a hundred thousand Dominican workers and their families,” said Luis Manuel Piantini, the Dominican Republic’s ambassador to the WTO. (ci)