EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 256/12

(Case C-288/17)

(2017/C 256/09)

Language of the case: French

Referring court

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicants: Fédération des fabricants de cigares, Coprova, E-Labo France, Smakq développement, Société nationale d’exploitation industrielle des tabacs et allumettes (SEITA), British American Tobacco France

Defendants: Premier ministre, Ministre des Affaires sociales et de la Santé

Interveners: Société J. Cortès France, Scandinavian Tobacco Group France, Villiger France

Questions referred

1.Must Article 13(1) and (3) of Directive 2014/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 be interpreted as prohibiting the use, on unit packets, outside packaging and tobacco products, of any brand name calling to mind certain qualities, however well-known it is?

2.Depending on the interpretation to be given to Article 13(1) and (3) of the directive, do those provisions, in so far as they apply to names and trade marks, comply with the right to property, freedom of expression, the freedom to conduct a business and the principles of proportionality and legal certainty?

3.If the preceding question is answered in the affirmative, under what conditions can a Member State, without infringing the right to property, freedom of expression, the freedom to conduct a business and the principle of proportionality, avail itself of the option open to it under Article 24(2) of the directive in order to require manufacturers and importers to have plain, standardised unit packets and outside packaging?

Directive 2014/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco and related products and repealing Directive 2001/37/EC (OJ 2014 L 127, p. 1).

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