Government plans to refer the plain-packaging challenge by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) to the European Court of Justice have been delayed by objections from the cigarette maker, the Irish Times reported.

A hearing before the High Court has been set for 30 June to hear JTI Ireland complaints that the country, as a member of the European Union, cannot unilaterally introduce uniform packaging for tobacco products, the newspaper said on its website. Ireland is seeking to have its plain pack law put before the EU high court together with a similar measure in the United Kingdom, which has been challenged by Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco.