Objections lodged against Ireland’s standardized packaging proposal

Three EU countries have lodged objections to Ireland’s standardized tobacco packaging proposals put forward by Dr. James Reilly when he was Minister for Health, according to a story in The Irish Times.

Portugal, Bulgaria and Slovakia are said to have objected in recent weeks on the basis that the proposals are incompatible with EU rules on the free movement of goods and services, among other issues.

Reilly’s plans were received by the European Commission on June 17, a week after he received approval from Cabinet.

While he was moved out of the health department in a cabinet reshuffle last month, Reilly will be taking some aspects of tobacco control policy with him to the Department of Children, though the exact details have yet to be finalised.

The Times report said that other member states and the Commission might issue reactions to the draft plans, though such action was rare.

‘The commission is unlikely to oppose Dr Reilly’s Bill outright, but Ireland may have to take comments from it and other member states into account, which could lead to delays in its introduction,’ the report said.

The full story is at: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/eu-states-concerns-could-delay-plain-packaging-for-tobacco-1.1888490.