G/TBT/N/FRA/163  
15 June 2015  
(15-3079)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: French  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Notifying Member: FRANCE 
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible:  
Ministère des Affaires Sociales, de la Santé et des droits des femmes, Direction générale 
de la santé, bureau MC2  
(Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Women's Rights, Directorate-General of Health, 
Office MC2) 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2. 10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ],  5.7.1 [ ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided  in addition where applicable): Draft Decree 
establishing conditions on the neutrality and standardization of packaging and paper for 
cigarettes and rolling tobacco 
5. Title, number of pages and lang uage(s) of the notified document: Projet de décret 
relatif aux conditions de neutralité et d'uniformisation des conditionnements et du papier 
des cigarettes et du tabac à rouler (draft Decree establishing conditions on the neutrality 
and standardization of packaging and paper for cigarettes and rolling tobacco) 
6. Description of content: The notified Decree establishes the conditions for the 
standardization of tobacco product packaging, including colour, shape, size, and 
typography of the brand and trade name. 
It contains the same technical options as the regulations adopted by the United Kingdom 
on 17 March 2015 and notified to the WTO. 
This draft Decree was notified to the European Commission on 7 May 2015. 
7. Objective and rationale, including th e nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Numerous scientific studies have been published to assess the response to 
plain packaging in various target populati ons (women, young people, smokers and non-
smokers) in France and abroad. The results of 54 studies were consolidated into two summary reports, one published in 2012
1 and the second2 corresponding to a 2013 update.  
These studies show that plain packaging: 
 improves the effectiveness of textual or visual health warnings appearing on 
cigarette packets, which are recalled better, especially by teenagers, understood 
better, and appear more credible; 
                                               
1 Moodie C., Stead M., Bauld L. et al., Plain tobacco packaging: A systematic re view. Stirling: Centre for 
Tobacco Control Research, University of Stirling; 2012. 
2 Moodie C., Angus K., Stead M., Bauld L., Plain tobacco packaging research:An Update. Stirling: Centre 
for Tobacco Control Research, University of Stirling; 2013. G/TBT/N/FRA/163 
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   reduces consumer misinformation regarding the dangers of cigarettes, since 
consumers are no longer led astray by the graphics on the packet or certain 
appellations liable to imply that products are less harmful; 
 reduces the attractiveness of the packagin g and the brand image, especially to 
young smokers, non-smokers and women; and 
 changes the image of smoking, devaluing it in the eyes of non-smokers. 
Studies were carried out in France to test the effectiveness of plain packaging in the 
French cultural context.3 These studies show, in a manner consistent with research carried 
out in other countries, that plain packets, in comparison with classic packets: 
 are less appealing to young French potential purchasers; 
 are less appealing to potential new smokers; 
 are more likely to be concealed by smokers and less conducive to smoking in public; 
 reduce the pleasure of smoking for smokers; 
 increase smokers' desire to stop smoking or to cut down; 
 strengthen non-smokers' resolve not to start smoking; 
 destroy the marketing function of the packaging; 
 reduce the attractiveness of the brand and the packet; 
 increase perception of the danger of the product; 
 increase the visibility of health warnings; and 
 prevent consumers from being misled rega rding the real danger of the product. 
In Australia, where plain packaging was introduced in December 2012, the number of 
tobacco consumers declined by 3.4% in 2013 compared with 2012 (before the introduction 
of plain packets).4 Among young people, it was found that the age at which they first 
smoked a cigarette had risen (from 15.4 years in 2010 to 15.9 years in 2013), the proportion of those aged 18-24 who had ne ver smoked rose (from 72% in 2010 to 77% 
in 2013) and the number of cigarettes smoked per week fell (from 111 cigarettes in 2010 
to 96 cigarettes in 2013). Another article, published in January 2014, shows a significant 
(+78%) and sustainable increase in calls to the Australian tobacco helpline one month 
after generic packets were introduced. 
Furthermore, scientific assessments show that  plain packets have had no impact on the 
illicit tobacco trade in Australia. A study thus concluded, on the basis of three 
measurements taken before and after the implementation of plain packets, that there had been no increase in the percentage of illicit tobacco. Another study shows that, from 2011 
to 2013, there were no significant changes in the ways in which tobacco was purchased or 
in the proportion of users purchasing illici t tobacco (2.3% in 2011 and 1.9% in 2013) and 
that the consumption of low-cost brands remained minimal (1.1% in 2011 and 0.9% 
in 2013). 
Besides the short- and medium-term impact of pl ain packaging, it is also an essential tool 
for the long-term removal of tobacco from social normality. 
Moreover, counteracting the image conveyed by brands will strengthen the preventive 
effect of health warnings and, in the long term, should change behavioural intentions. 
Plain packaging also ensures that the appear ance of tobacco products does not make 
consumers think that their effects are less harmful. The French authorities therefore 
consider the use of standardized packets to be an appropriate measure serving the desired 
objective of protecting public health, whic h will be effective in preventing the risks 
associated with the consumption of tobacco products. 
                                               
3 Gallopel-Morvan K., Moodie C., Eker F., Béguinot E., Martinet Y. (2014), Perceptions of plain packaging 
among young adult roll-your-own smokers in Fr ance: A naturalistic approach, Tobacco Control  (BMJ Journal), 
doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2013-051513. / Gallopel-Morvan K. (2013), Le paquet de cigare ttes au service de 
l'industrie du tabac ou de la santé publique? (Cigarette packets: at the service of the tobacco industry or public 
health?), Revue Communication & Langages, 179, June, 79-92. / Gallopel-Morvan K. (2013), Lutte contre le 
tabagisme: le paquet de cigare ttes neutre es t-il efficace? (The fight against tobacco abuse: are plain packets 
effective?), Bulletin Epidémiologique Hebdomadair e, 20-21, 227-229. / Gallopel-Morvan K., Moodie C., 
Hammond D., Eker F., Béguinot E., Martinet Y. (2012), Consumer perceptions of cigarette pack design in 
France: A comparison of regular, limited edition and plain packaging, Tobacco Control (BMJ Journal), 21(5), 502-506. / Gallopel-Morvan K., Béguinot E., Ek er F., Martinet Y. and Hammond D. (2011), Perception de 
l'efficacité des paquets de cigarettes standardisés . Une étude dans un contexte français  (Perception of the 
effectiveness of standardized cigarette packets. A study in a French context), Bulletin Epidémiologique 
Hebdomadaire, 20-21, 244-247. 
4 http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/tobacco-kff . G/TBT/N/FRA/163 
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  8. Relevant documents:  
 Directive 2001/37/EC 
 Directive 2014/40/EU 
 Article 5 decies (new)  of the draft Law on the modern ization of the health system, 
which was submitted to the National Assembly on 27 October 2014 and registered by the Senate on 15 April 2015: Text No. 406 under review 
9. Proposed date of adoption: Autumn 2015 - in accordance with the schedule for the 
draft Law on the modernization of the health system, which was examined by Parliament 
and adopted at the first reading by the National Assembly on 14 April 2014. 
Proposed date of entry into force: 20 May 2016  
10. Final date for comments: 60 days from the date of notification. 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresse s, if available, of other body:  
CINORTECH 
AFNOR 
11 avenue Francis de Pressensé 93571 Saint-Denis-La Plaine Cedex 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachme nts/2015/TBT/FRA/15_2296_00_f.pdf