430. Canada follows with interest the ongoing international developments regarding the plain packaging of tobacco products, and how such measures interact with both international trade and public health.
431. In Canada's view, it is important to recall that the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health states that "the TRIPS Agreement does not and should not prevent members from taking measures to protect public health," as well as Article 8 of the TRIPS Agreement itself.
432. Canada has been a pioneer in package labelling requirements for tobacco products, and we consider these sorts of requirements a core component of the right to regulate in the interests of the Canadian public.
433. Canada recognizes how challenging it is to introduce tobacco control measures that have never been implemented before. Canada was in a similar situation a decade ago when it introduced pictorial health warnings on tobacco packages.
434. We have taken these regulatory and other steps because tobacco use is a significant problem, in Canada and around the world. In Canada alone, 37,000 people die annually from tobacco use – our leading cause of preventable death and disease. Tobacco products are also the only good that is the subject of a legally-binding health treaty, the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
435. As we move forward in our discussions, Members may want to consider the complete economic picture regarding tobacco control, including whether tobacco may actually be a net economic drain for many countries.
436. We are looking forward to further views from other Members on the appropriate balance amongst intellectual property, international trade and public health.
