EU Official Rules Against Companies

TOBACCO

*

Tobacco companies received a major setback in their effort to overturn strict European Union regulations on the manufacture and marketing of cigarettes.

The advocate general of the EU’s highest court rejected arguments by British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco that the laws were illegal.

Leendert Geelhoed said EU authorities were within their rights to set new limits on the levels of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide associated with cigarettes sold in the EU and those produced in the 15-nation bloc for export.

He also backed new laws banning the use of terms such as “light” and “mild” to describe cigarette brands and requiring makers to place larger and more graphic health warnings on packaging.