Tobacco Giant Philip Morris Sues Uruguay Over Smoking Ban

[Judi Lynn]

Tobacco Giant Philip Morris Sues Uruguay Over Smoking Ban
Posted by Sheila Ring on May 27, 2011 11:40 AM

Tobacco giant Philip Morris International is suing Uruguay in a world tribunal over a smoking ban it views as damaging its business prospects, UPI reports.

The unprecedented legal action, if successful, will see the state of Uruguay facing the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes, a branch of the World Bank.

Anti-tobacco campaigners have hailed Uruguay's tough stand on tobacco. Analysts said Philip Morris chose a small Latin American for potentially precedent-setting litigation.

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The Philip Morris claim against Uruguay argues the Latin American country's laws are damaging the company's commercial interests.

More:
http://www.thirdage.com/news/tobacco-giant-philip-morris-sues-uruguay-over-smoking-ban_05-27-2011

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Philip Morris sues Uruguay over anti tobacco legislation

David and Goliath - One of the world’s biggest tobacco companies is launching a claim against Uruguay for considering their legislation commercially damaging to the company.

One of the smallest Latin America’s countries faces a multi million corporation, based in Switzerland, in Parisian courts this week. The corporation has filed a claim at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), a World Bank branch.

According to the claim, the countries´ policies on tobacco control are damaging the company’s performance in the small the South American nation.

Former Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez, an oncologist, banned smoking in public buildings four years ago. Tobacco advertising is also banned and cigarettes' packets must carry large health warnings.

The rules, which also prevent the sale of products branded as "light," put the small South American country at the vanguard of global anti-smoking laws.

More:
http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/68152/philip-morris-sues-uruguay-over-anti-tobacco-legislation