Ireland has passed a new law introducing plain tobacco packaging, becoming the first country in the EU, under which all forms of branding, including logos and colours for cigarette packs will be prohibited.
The new law, which prompts the tobacco industry to threaten legal action, requires all products to have a uniform packaging that features graphic health warnings.
Minister for Children James Reilly told parliament: "We are creating legislation which will be historic and will be of real importance to the area of public health."
Ireland is said to be the second country in the world after Australia to pass a plain packaging law.
The legislation, which is said to have cross-party support, will be forwarded to the president to pass into law following a technical vote in the upper house soon, AFP reported.
Complete implementation of the rules is not expected to be effective until May 2017.
Other EU countries, such as Britain, also announced that they are planning to introduce similar rules.
Under the plain cigarette packaging, which is also known as generic, standardised or homogeneous packaging, all branding including colours, imagery, corporate logos and trademarks should be eliminated.
Manufacturers are required to print only the brand name in a mandated size, font and add health warnings as well as any other legally mandated information.
The information may relate to toxic constituents and tax-paid stamps.
