Tobacco Control Measures

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 November 2014

Thursday, 6 November 2014

Ceisteanna (158)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

158. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if his Department has received any responses to its formal notification of the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2013 made to the World Trade Organisation under the technical barriers to trade agreement under the technical standards process; if so, if he will provide the names of the countries that responded and share the concerns of these WTO member states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42496/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

Ireland has not received any written requests for consultations from World Trade Organisation (WTO) members following the notification of our proposals as set out in the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014. The matter was the subject of discussion at the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade meeting on 18th June 2014 and at the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council meeting on 29th October 2014. The reports of these discussions can be found at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tbt_e/tbt_e.htm and at http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news14_e/trip_28oct14_e.htm. The matter is on the agenda for the Technical Barriers to Trade meeting scheduled for 6/7 November 2014.