Philip Morris v. Uruguay

The Philip Morris v. Uruguay case (Spanish: Caso Philip Morris contra Uruguay) was an investor-state dispute settlement case initiated on 19 February 2010 and concluded on 8 July 2016, in which the multinational tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI), whose head office is located in Lausanne, lodged a complaint against Uruguay that was resolved by international arbitration under the auspices of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

The ICSID case was legally known as the Philip Morris Brands Sàrl, Philip Morris Products S.A. and Abal Hermanos S.A. v. Oriental Republic of Uruguay, ICSID Case No. ARB/10/7.

PMI's complaint alleged that Uruguay's anti-smoking legislation introducing plain tobacco packaging devalued its cigarette trademarks and investments in the country and sought compensation of twenty-five million dollars for engaging in anticompetitive practices in violation of the bilateral investment treaty between Switzerland, where Philip Morris International is headquartered, and Uruguay.

The treaty provides that disputes may be settled by binding arbitration under the auspices of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Uruguay had received accolades from the World Health Organization and from anti-smoking activists for its anti-smoking campaign.

On 8 July 2016, after 6 years, the ICSID ruled in favor of Uruguay, forcing PMI to pay the expenses of the defendants and the court.