(Video) Dr Foltea contributes to talks on regulating e-vapour products

Posted by Dr. Lukasz Gruszczynski
On August 4, 2017
discrimination, dispute settlement, e-vapour products, WTO

The Global Forum on Nicotine (GFN) opened its doors on 15 June 2017 for the fourth time in Warsaw, Poland. The annual conference, this year themed “Reducing Harm, Saving Lives”, is an event dedicated to exploring new and safer nicotine products in an effort to reduce smoking globally.

Over three hundred attendees – nicotine academics, policy makers, stakeholders, and consumers – joined the three-day forum. Trades Pacts Managing Director Dr Marina Foltea was invited to speak alongside GFN participants from almost a dozen countries, including those from Europe, Australasia, Canada, Asia, America, and southern Africa.

Drawing from a recent paper she has co-authored on this topic, in this video Dr Foltea’s part underlines the possible implications under international trade law of banning e-vapour products (EVPs). She addresses the question whether EVPs and cigarettes can be considered ‘like’ products in the eyes of the World Trade Organisation. The question is important for understanding whether the bans of EVPs discriminate these products in relation to cigarettes (which are traded freely) and assessing the legality of such bans under the trade rules.

Dr Foltea’s expertise is often called on to help countries make better regulatory choices with due regard for existing international law to which these nations have subscribed.

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