On Jun. 10, 2020, the World Trade Organizationﾒs (WTO) Appellate Body reported on the dispute brought by Honduras and the Dominican Republic against Australia: ”Australia ﾗ Tobacco Plain Packaging”. Australiaﾒs plain packaging law was challenged primarily on grounds that it was more restrictive of trade than necessary to protect human health, and that it unjustifiably interfered with use of tobacco company trademarks on packaging.

The Appellate Body confirmed that plain packaging is ﾓapt to, and does, contributeﾔ to Australiaﾒs objective of improving public health by reducing tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. The Appellate Body ruling finally clears the legal hurdle thrown up in the tobacco industryﾒs efforts to block tobacco control and is likely to accelerate implementation of plain packaging around the globe.