Cuba accuses UK of being anti-capitalist over plain packaging plans

Cuba accuses UK of being anti-capitalist over plain packaging plans

Communist state Cuba has complained that Britain is threatening free

trade with plans to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes and cigars

By Keith Perry, and John Bingham7:48PM BST 29 Apr 2014



Cuba has accused Britain of being anti-capitalist and threatening free

trade with its plans introduce plain packaging on cigarettes and cigars.

The Communist country has complained to the World Trade Organisation

over the UK Government plans to ban branding on smoking products to try

and encourage people to give up the addictive habit.

This came as Tory MP Priti Patel wrote in the Asian Trader arguing that

uncertainty surrounding the regulations and timescale is "causing

considerable anxiety to newsagents and independent retailers".

Cuba said it recognized Britain's "sovereign right to apply measures

aimed at protecting the health of its people while recognising that

tobacco is a "harmful but lawful product in international trade".

But it said plain packaging would lead to an increase in counterfeit

cigarettes by preventing manufacturers displaying their products'

distinctive trademarks and would also increase health risks to people

smoking black market cigarettes containing unknown substances.

Cuba also said it would impose unnecessary restrictions on international

trade and undermined the provisions of international trademark legislation.

Cuba's letter to the WTO's Committee to Technical Barriers on Trade

concluded: "Cuba expresses great concern over the UK Parliament's

decision to move ahead with the process of implementation of plain

packaging of tobacco products, without waiting for a settlement of the

complaint against Australia before the WTO Dispute Settlement Body.

"We therefore respectfully ask that the British Government refrain from

adopting such packaging until there has been a definitive ruling in the

dispute currently before the DSB, so that this measure may be assessed

on the basis of those findings."

Cuba, Ukraine, Indonesia, Honduras and Dominican Republic have all

brought legal action against Australia, the first country to ban

colourful logos on cigarette packaging.

Since late 2012, tobacco products in Australia can only be sold in drab

olive-coloured packets that look more like military or prison issue,

with brands printed in small standardised fonts.

The five countries challenging it say the legislation is a barrier to

trade and restricts intellectual property.

In a letter to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Ms Patel wrote: "Small

shops are at the forefront of efforts to reduce underage tobacco sales

and do a tremendous job challenging prospective purchasers to provide

proof of age.

"However, measures like standardised packaging which will lead to an

increase in the availability of tobacco from illicit sources, would only

serve to make it easier for children to purchase tobacco products.

She added: "The blunt tool of standardised packaging will have a

significant and disproportionate impact on independent retailers,

whereas other measures to control and reduce use, such as through

education, would make a more positive contribution towards the

Government's strategic objective to reduce tobacco use."

She claimed Sir Cyril Chantler's inquiry into tobacco plain packaging

had ignored the views of small traders.

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of health charity ASH, refuted the

claims that plain packaging would increase illicit trade or make it

easier for underage people to smoke.

"Despite assertions by the tobacco industry and its allies, there is no

evidence to support the argument that standardised packaging would

increase illicit trade or make it easier for young people to access

tobacco," she said.

"The impact of standardised packaging on sales is likely to be gradual

and there is no reason why independent retailers should be particularly

affected."



Source: Cuba accuses UK of being anti-capitalist over plain packaging

plans - Telegraph -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/cuba/10796980/Cuba-accuses-UK-of-being-anti-capitalist-over-plain-packaging-plans.html