Today the NFTC joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Council for International Business, the Emergency Committee for American Trade, the US-ASEAN Business Council and the TransAtlantic Business Dialogue in issuing a joint statement regarding a proposal by the Australian Government to mandate standardized plain packaging for all tobacco products.
The groups stated:
“We recognize the right of the Australian Government to implement regulation to control tobacco products. However, plain packaging risks establishing a precedent of IP destruction for an entire industry through government mandate that would be very damaging to the legitimate interests of trademark owners to associate their brands withtheir products, a fundamental protection under trademark law.”
“Furthermore, protecting intellectual property rights and advancing public health are mutually reinforcing. Australia has always been willing to stand up for trade rules, and we have stood up with it to advance the global trading system. We are strongly convinced that the plain/generic packaging proposal will have a detrimental effect on the integrity of the protection of intellectual property around the world, while its potential effects on public health are not encouraging either. The effects of enacting an obvious violation of those rules such as plain packaging should concern the Australian Government enough to seek alternative approaches consistent with its international trade obligations.”
Click here to read the full statement.
About NFTC
Advancing Global Commerce for Nearly A Century- The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
Follow us on:
