JTI Defends its Stance on Property Rights
JTI Ireland has defended its stance on intellectual property rights. Igor Dzaja, General Manager, JTI Ireland, reasserted the company’s willingness to engage the Irish Government in a legal battle to protect its trademarks, branding etc should the Government proceed with its plan to introduce plain packaging.“We have informed the government that we stand ready to file legal proceedings should it continue pushing for a ‘cut and paste’ policy that has failed in Australia,” Dzaja warned. “’Plain’ packaging puts politics before evidence. We and numerous Irish and international business groups, trade organisations and legal bodies, have highlighted to the government that banning brands would have far-reaching consequences on the country’s economy, above and beyond the tobacco sector. It will further cast serious doubt over Ireland’s solid reputation for protection of intellectual property rights and will undermine the country’s attractiveness for foreign direct investment. Such a measure is in complete contradiction with the Taoiseach’s intention of making Ireland the best small country in the world to do business.”
Dzaja’s statement came after an alliance of health and children’s charities argued that “there is no requirement in the Irish Constitution for the State to pay compensation when restricting property rights in accordance with the common good/social justice”.
Both sides continue to cite the example of Australia, where the Irish Cancer Society argue that smoking rates there are at an all-time low, which contrasts with data reported by Retail News that two years after the introduction of plain packaging in Australia, the amount of 12-17 year olds who smoke daily has increased from 2.5% in 2010 to 3.4% in 2013.
