Singapore is keeping a close eye on a development in Australia in which tobacco companies are banned from displaying their distinctive colours, brand designs and corporate logos on cigarette packs.
Australia is the first country in the world to introduce such plain packaging requirements, which tobacco companies have challenged on grounds of trademark infringement, said Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang in Parliament on Monday.
He was replying to Dr Janil Puthucheary (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) who was concerned that Singapore’s strict tobacco control measures could be at risk as a result of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations, given the challenge the Australian government is facing on its tobacco regulation.
The TPP is being negotiated among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
