14.01.2025 - The European Commission has rejected Finland's draft law on alcohol home delivery, stating that it violates EU competition law. The proposal would have allowed online alcohol sales by Alko, grocery stores, and local producers, but the Commission criticized it as discriminatory against foreign products and disproportionate. The Finnish government has pledged to amend the law by January, reports YLE.fi.
The Commission expressed concern that the proposed legislation favors domestic online alcohol sales, particularly benefiting Alko and Finnish producers at the expense of foreign e-commerce. YLE.fi highlights that Finland's Alcohol Act lacks clear guidelines on cross-border online alcohol purchases, leading to long-standing legal ambiguities.
According to the Commission, any framework for online alcohol sales must ensure equal opportunities for domestic and foreign retailers to comply with EU principles. YLE.fi notes that the current proposal risks creating an illegal quantitative import restriction, which could result in infringement proceedings against Finland.
Finland's Minister of Social Security, Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, stated that the government would make the necessary changes to address the Commission's concerns, including clarifying the status of cross-border alcohol sales. The revised legislation, part of a broader reform of Finland’s alcohol laws, is expected to face delays before implementation, YLE.fi reports.