G/TBT/N/FRA/162  
15 April 2015  
(15-2007)  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 for Health, Office MC2) Name and address (including telephone 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 wher e applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided  in addition where applicable): Tobacco 
products 
5. Title, number of pages and lang uage(s) of the notified document: Amendement 
gouvernemental relatif à l'introduction du paquet neutre pour les produits du tabac  
(Government amendment relating to the intr oduction of plain packaging for tobacco 
products) 
6. Description of content: The notified amendment seeks to incorporate plain packaging 
requirements into French law on the basis of Article 24.2 of Directive 2014/40/EU, so as to 
standardize the appearance of cigarette and rolling-tobacco packets and hamper producers' strategies.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the 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; 
 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. 
                                               
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 toba cco packaging research: An Update. Stirling: Centre 
for Tobacco Control Research, University of Stirling; 2013. G/TBT/N/FRA/162 
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   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. 
Plain packaging was introduced in Australia in December 2012; following its introduction, 
there was, in 2013, a 3.4% fall in the number of tobacco consumers in relation to 2012 
(the year before plain packaging was introduced).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 never 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 illicit 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. 
The French authorities therefore consider th e use of standardized packets to be an 
appropriate measure serving the desired objective of protecting public health, which will be 
effective in preventing the risks associated with the consumption of tobacco products.  
8. Relevant documents:  
 Article 5 decies  (new)  of the draft Health Law (currently under review in the 
National Assembly). 
 A draft Decree, which is currently being finalized, will be notified in the coming 
weeks.  
                                               
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 France: 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., Eker F., Martinet Y. and Hammond D. (2011), Perception de 
l'efficacité des paquets de cigarettes standardisés  (Perception of the effectiven ess of standardized cigarette 
packets). Une étude dans un contexte français  (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/162 
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  9. Proposed date of adoption: Summer 2015, in accordance with the timetable for the 
draft Health Law. 
Proposed date of entry into force: 20 May 2016  
10. Final date for comments: 60 days 
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_1598_00_f.pdf