The High Court referred a challenge by cigarette makers against the revised EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) to the European Court of Justice for a review that could take two years, the BBC reported.

Philip Morris International, Imperial Tobacco and British American Tobacco are among companies challenging the legality of TPD, which requires EU member states to increase the size of health warnings and ban menthol cigarettes. Tobacco companies allege the new restrictions go beyond powers granted the EU, are disproportionate and represent a barrier to free movement of goods and competition within the EU, according to a report on the BBC website.