Poland to challenge EU menthol ban

Polish officials are expected to try to block the ban on menthol cigarettes included as part of the EU’s new Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), which is due to come into force on May 20.

A story in the Warsaw Business Journal said that under the new TPD, sales of menthol cigarettes would be banned in the EU from 2020.

It said that Poland was one of the biggest tobacco producers in the EU and such a ban would strongly affect it.

Poland was currently working on an appeal to be filed with the EU’s Court of Justice. The Journal noted that an anonymous source quoted by the Puls Biznesu daily had said the Polish government wanted to demonstrate that the TPD was based on unsound legal grounds.

The source said the effect that the measure would have on internal markets was out of proportion to the benefits of curbing the health risk caused by smoking.

The Puls Biznesu indicated that such an appeal could be submitted to the Court before the EU elections scheduled for May 25.