Plain packaging for the Pacific Rim tobacco control and the Trans-Pacific Partnership – (2013) Matthew Rimmer for as customers by the Kids today don’t just start smoking no reason. They’re aggressively targeted tobacco industry. exposed to a constant and insidious barrage of advertising where they live, They’re where they learn, and where they play. (United States President Barack Obama) Introduction Big Tobacco has been engaged in a dark, shadowy plot and conspiracy to hijack the Partnership Agreement (TPP) and undermine tobacco control measures such as – graphic health warnings and the plain packaging of tobacco products. The tobacco industry has long considered the use of trade agreements as a means of delaying, blocking and frustrating the introduction of tobacco control measures. In the 1990s, internal documents highlight that the tobacco industry considered whether the use of trade actions under the World Trade Organization (WTO) may delay the introduction of measures, such as the plain packaging of tobacco products. However, there was an admission in the internal memos that such action would provide for the tobacco companies. A number of countries ‘little joy’ allied to the tobacco industry have challenged plain packaging of tobacco Australia’s products regime under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) and the British American Rights Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. Tobacco has lobbied the United States Trade Representative on intellectual property and trade. In the course of the (ACTA) discussions, British Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement American Tobacco would strongly advocate tobacco and tobacco products being argued: ‘We
Plain packaging for the Pacific Rim – tobacco control and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (2013) Matthew Rimmer Kids today don’t just start smoking for no reason. They’re aggressively targeted as customers by the tobacco industry. They’re exposed to a constant and insidious barrage of advertising where they live, where they learn, and where they play. (United States President Barack Obama) Introduction Big Tobacco has been engaged in a dark, shadowy plot and conspiracy to hijack the Partnership Agreement (TPP) and undermine tobacco control measures – such as graphic health warnings and the plain packaging of tobacco products. The tobacco industry has long considered the use of trade agreements as a means of delaying, blocking and frustrating the introduction of tobacco control measures. In the 1990s, internal documents highlight that the tobacco industry considered whether the use of trade actions under the World Trade Organization (WTO) may delay the introduction of measures, such as the plain packaging of tobacco products. However, there was an admission in the internal memos that such action would provide ‘little joy’ for the tobacco companies. A number of countries allied to the tobacco industry have challenged Australia’s plain packaging of tobacco products regime under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. British American Tobacco has lobbied the United States Trade Representative on intellectual property and trade. In the course of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) discussions, British American Tobacco argued: ‘We would strongly advocate tobacco and tobacco products being