Tobacco.org

• Cigarette pricing rule a 'risk' to free competition 

THE POLICY of setting a minimum price on tobacco products distorts competition, a preliminary opinion to Europe's highest court has said.

The imposition by the Government of binding prices restricts manufacturers' freedom to set prices, thereby posing a risk to free competition, according to Juliane Kokott, advocate general of the European Court of Justice.

The opinion of the advocate general is not a final judgment, although the court, to follow next March, follows it in the vast majority of cases. Costs in the case were awarded against Ireland.

The Department of Health said it was examining the opinion. "This opinion is at an intermediate stage in the process and the judgment of the court is still awaited," a spokeswoman said.

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