On Jun. 9, 2020, On June 9, the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Appellate Body reported on the dispute brought by Honduras and the Dominican Republic against Australia: ”Australia — Tobacco Plain Packaging.”

This decision puts an end to the disputes which began in 2012 and saw Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia and Ukraine (Ukraine later decided to withdraw its complaint in June 2015) bring legal complaints regarding Australia’s plain packaging law.

The WHO and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) Secretariat provided the WTO panel with a joint submission or amicus brief, that gave an overview of global tobacco control, summarized the public health evidence underlying tobacco plain packaging and the relevant provisions of the WHO FCTC and its Guidelines.

This decision puts an end to the disputes which began in 2012 and saw Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia and Ukraine (Ukraine later decided to withdraw its complaint in June 2015) bring legal complaints regarding Australia’s plain packaging law.