Judgment to smoking laws – Uruguay defeats Marlboro – Süddeutsche.de

The role of private arbitration is sticking point in the TTIP negotiations. Can bring, for example, tobacco companies such laws to the case? Now there is a decision in a landmark case.

Uruguay has a six-year trial the tobacco company Philip Morris won. The Based at the World Bank International Court of Arbitration ICSID in Washington have the action points of the group “completely rejected”, said President Tabaré Vázquez in Montevideo.

In Uruguay not allowed to smoke in restaurants and many other buildings. There is also a ban on advertising, the packages are provided with large, dramatic warnings, and supposed “light” cigarettes are prohibited. As a further measure against smoking tobacco taxes were increased again. Philip Morris, which among other things includes the world meistervkaufte cigarette brand Marlboro, did not accept the measures and called for substantial damages.

Philip Morris must Uruguay all attorneys’ fees refund

Vázquez called upon all States, to follow the example and not to be intimidated by groups fighting the damage caused by smoking. He had brought in his first term from 2005 to 2010, the strict anti-smoking laws on the way, in 2010 it came to the action brought by Philip Morris.

As the portal “El Pais” reported that the Group of the Uruguayan government must now reimburse seven million US dollars for legal fees in the process. The Group, headquartered in the United States accounts for about ten percent of its billion business in the Latin American market – but he recently struggling world because of the tightening of smoking laws with losses

Health must count more than the economic interests of the company. ” / h3>

“We reaffirm our right to fight against the consumption of tobacco,” said Vázquez. It is not permissible “to make commercial aspects of the defense of the fundamental rights to life and health”.

The case is interesting in view of the planned FTA Ceta and TTIP, where the role of private arbitration a major point. Critics fear precedents when companies could cut short in this way unpleasant laws in countries -. Which is in Uruguay now failed

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