Philip Morris International Comments on the European Parliament Vote on the Proposed Tobacco Products Directive

LAUSANNE, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2013-- Philip Morris International Inc.’s (PMI) (NYSE/Euronext Paris: PM) EU Region President Drago Azinovic made the following comment regarding the vote in the European Parliament on the EU’s proposed Tobacco Products Directive:

“Today’s vote in the European Parliament has introduced marginal improvement in some areas, but has still failed to take into account the views of millions of EU citizens, including our employees, retailers, tobacco growers and adult consumers who will be impacted by these measures.

“It remains the case that Members of the European Parliament have voted to ban an entire segment of the legal market despite the inevitable increase in illegal trade that this will fuel. They have failed to provide a workable framework for reduced harm products and have also continued to include oversized graphic health warnings and pack standardization - even though the risks of smoking are already well known - and without apparent concern for property rights that the EU Charter protects.

“There remain several important steps before this Directive passes into law, and we hope that decision makers will take the opportunity to apply common sense and adopt a Directive that is – as any EU legislation must be – necessary, proportionate and supported by credible evidence.”

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About Philip Morris International Inc.

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) is the leading international tobacco company, with seven of the world’s top 15 international brands, including Marlboro, the number one cigarette brand worldwide. PMI’s products are sold in more than 180 markets. In 2012, the company held an estimated 16.3% share of the total international cigarette market outside of the U.S., or 28.8% excluding the People’s Republic of China and the United States. For more information, see www.pmi.com

Source: Philip Morris International

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