WPV criticises packaging aspects of EU Tobacco Products Directive

The German association of paper processors WPV (Wirtschaftsverbände Papierverarbeitung e.V.) says the EU’s draft version of Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) from 19 December 2012 uses packaging as a political instrument. According to WPV, the law would have a devastating economic impact on the mostly medium-sized manufacturers of tobacco product packaging made of paper and board. Furthermore, the association fears that this “political instrumentalisation” of packaging could move beyond tobacco products and be used for other food and beverage products.