欢迎访问文传商讯!

全部新闻

Philip Morris Asia Limited Comments on Tribunal’s Decision to Decline Jurisdiction in Arbitration Against Commonwealth of Australia Over Plain Packaging

发布时间:2015-12-18 11:01


Ruling Does Not Address Legality of Trademark Ban Under International Law

HONG KONG -- (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Philip Morris Asia Limited (PMAL), a Hong Kong company that is the parent of Philip Morris Australia, said today that an arbitral tribunal has declined jurisdiction to hear the merits of PMAL’s case against the Commonwealth of Australia under Australia’s 1993 Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) with Hong Kong.

“There is nothing in today’s outcome that addresses, let alone validates, plain packaging in Australia or anywhere else,” said Marc Firestone, Philip Morris International Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “It is regrettable that the outcome hinged entirely on a procedural issue that Australia chose to advocate instead of confronting head on the merits of whether plain packaging is legal or even works”.

PMAL filed its claims under the IPPA on November 21, 2011, when the Australian government passed plain packaging legislation. PMAL asserted that the sweeping ban on trademarks breaches the foreign investment protections that the Australian government guaranteed in its IPPA with Hong Kong.

Firestone continued, “This case has never been about a government’s undeniable authority to regulate in the public interest. Nor has there ever been any question that tobacco products merit strict oversight. In our view, the real point is simply this: Even when pursuing tobacco control objectives, governments are still accountable if they choose to use unlawful means. This is the essence of the rule of law.”

The Australian government’s tobacco packaging policy remains the subject of international disagreement. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is currently considering challenges to Australia's legislation by four WTO Members. Separately, courts in Europe are also assessing plain packaging under national and international law. The decision on jurisdiction under the Australia-Hong Kong IPPA has no bearing on any of these proceedings.

Australia’s former Labor government made bold promises regarding the public health benefits that its excessive, expropriatory trademark ban -- which it labeled a policy experiment – would yield. Three years into the experiment, data from a range of sources consistently demonstrate that the promised outcomes are not being delivered.

PMAL is reviewing the Tribunal’s decision in detail and will determine any further course of action.

###

Philip Morris International Inc.

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) is the leading international tobacco company, with six of the world’s top 15 international brands, including Marlboro, the number one cigarette brand worldwide. PMI’s products are sold in more than 180 markets. In 2014, the company held an estimated 15.5% share of the total international cigarette market outside of the U.S., or 28.5% excluding the People’s Republic of China and the U.S. For more information, see www.pmi.com.

Philip Morris Asia Limited

Philip Morris Asia Limited (PMAL) manages PMI’s business in the Asia region. PMA is based in Hong Kong where the company was incorporated under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance in 1994. PMAL owns the Australian affiliate, Philip Morris Limited (PML).

Philip Morris Limited

Philip Morris Limited (PML) began operations in Australia in 1954 as the first affiliate outside of the United States. Based in Melbourne, PML employs more than 500 people and is the second largest distributor of cigarettes in Australia. PML sells a number of well-known brands, including Marlboro, Alpine, Longbeach, Peter Jackson and choice. In 2014, PML held an estimated 34% share of the Australian cigarette market.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151217006627/en/

 

CONTACT:

Media Enquiries
Philip Morris International media office
T: +41 (0)58 242 4500
E: media@pmi.com

金联创 xinhua08 cacs takungpao China.com 和讯 财讯 C114.net 看商界 畅享网 中国能源网 证券之星 金融界 中金在线 天和网 中国金融网 中汽传媒 国际财经日报 中国环保网 今日亚洲新闻网 百歌新闻专线 亚洲商机 新华网能源频道 IT资讯网 中国智能卡论坛 广西物流网 品牌世家 汽车点评网 中国电子标签网 360教育在线 21世纪保险网 中国能源投资网 中国电子商业联盟 中国汽车咨询中心网 煤炭供应链 美国证券网 百奥知 CTI论坛 中国测控网 北极星电力网 能源财经网 福建之窗 智库在线 eeworld 电脑商情在线 中国电池网 赢商网 湖南信息港 赢在中国网 比邻星环保网 中国制造业门户 中国涂料在线 渝网 - 了解重庆第一站,重庆城市生活门户网站 中国云计算第一门户网站—中云网 投资界 i美股 天和财富网 太阳能信息网 爱中国能源网 世纪新能源网 中国新能源网 PVMate.com 环球外汇 橡胶网-hc360慧聪网 百年企业在线 IT168 米内 汽车工业网 第一车市汽车网 股市资讯 中国西部网 中原汽配网 科技在线 煤炭网 51招生网 教育人生 驴皮网 物流北京 51电池搜索网 大众医学 岭南医药网 5联网 股城网 BIT CNELC XXTLW 外汇通 供应链中国网 中国粘合剂网 中国储能网 家具迷 家居装修网 中華检测网 中国食品招商网 华东化工网 新疆第一汽车网 中国汽车用品交易网 大娱网 中国汽配网 山东化工网 960化工网 妈咪爱 塑胶五金网 慧聪电子网 迈点酒店网 火爆网 emcsino eetrend 绿色节能网 赤浪绿色新能源网 中国商业网 生物无忧 全球医疗器械网 贷商网 手机在线 汽车轻量化在线 中国汽车材料网 科易网 中国电子顶级开发网 中国POS机网 乐康家居 必修 国易网