.jpg)
Tobacco giant Philip Morris was ordered to pay millions of legal fees to the Australian government because it tried to unsuccessfully eliminate the plain packaging law.
It is believed the amount could be as high as $50 million, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
The newspaper said the court published its decision on the weekend, bringing a six-year legal battle to a close.
Tobacco companies fought hard against the plain packaging laws - introduced by Julia Gillard's Labor government in 2011 - and first took the case to Australia's High Court.
The manufacturer of Marlboro and Longbeach cigarettes wanted the tribunal to order Australia to scrap the laws or to award damages of at least $US4.2 billion.
The court dismissed the case in 2015, labelling it an "abuse of rights".
Two years later, the court said Philip Morris (Philip Morris) must cover the Australian legal costs, plus the percentage of arbitration fees.
Article from:
http://www.packagingnews.com.au/
