Europe's highest court on Wednesday upheld a tough EU law on standardizing cigarette packaging and banning advertising of e-cigarettes, paving the way for its adoption later this month.

Packages with cigarettes are on display at a tobacco store in Hanau near Frankfurt, Germany, March 18, 2016.

The court rejected a legal challenge brought by Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco, with Japan Tobacco International and Imperial Brands acting as interested parties.

"The court finds that, in providing that each unit packet and the outside packaging must carry health warnings.... the EU legislature did not go beyond the limits of what is appropriate and necessary," the court said.

Source: Reuters