The government has asked the Commercial Court to refer a suit brought by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) against the plain packaging law for tobacco products to the European high court, the Irish Times said.
Issues raised in Ireland are similar to a plain-pack challenge filed with the high court in England and Wales by Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco, the government told the Irish court. That complaint has been referred to the European court. An government solicitor told the Irish court the two cases should be heard jointly before the Court of Justice for the European Union in Luxembourg, the Times said.
Both countries earlier this year passed laws to standardise branding and colour on product packaging that will include graphic warnings covering most of the surface area.