Alcohol law|The governing parties did not accept the report of the social and health committee, in which the bill was rejected. Next, the law goes to a large committee.
Parliament has voted 95–78 in favor of raising the percentage limit for alcohol sold in grocery stores.
The vote was only an interim step before the final seal, which will happen next week. The law will now go to the parliament’s large committee, which will make a report on the proposal next Wednesday, and after that the proposal will be put to a new vote.
Parliament did not accept the Greens Atte Harjanten the proposal according to which the manufacturing method restriction, which is problematic under EU law, would be removed from the legal text. 11 representatives voted in favor of Harjane’s proposal, 106 against, and 53 representatives voted against.
In the actual vote, it was voted whether to proceed with the consideration of the law according to the Social and Health Committee’s report or the ruling parties’ objection to it. The opposition of the ruling parties won, by 95–78 votes.
The ruling parties the lines remained mostly straight. The Christian Democrats were allowed to vote against the government’s proposal, and all five did so.
Already in the government negotiations, the Christian Democrats were given a free hand to vote against bills that would liberalize the sale of alcohol.
Basic Finns Kaisa Garedew voted against the government. The Coalition and Rkp supported the government’s proposal, i.e. raising the percentage limit.
Among the opposition parties, the Greens were divided into: Atte Harjanne and Fatim Diarra voted for raising the percentage limit, others against. From the center, raising the percentage limit was the only one worth it Antti Kurvinen.
Social– and the health committee concluded in his report last week to present the rejection of the bill. This is rare because the governing parties have a majority in the committees, which as a rule guarantees the implementation of the government’s bills.
Now it turned out differently, because the governing party represents the Christian Democrats Päivi Räsänen did not want to defend the government’s proposal in the committee, but voted to reject it along with the opposition.
What happens next?
The governing parties are in the majority in the parliament, so the law will proceed according to the will of the government and not the will of the social and health committee.
The bill will go to a large committee next Wednesday.
The round of the large committee has to be done maybe once per election term.
Usually, a round in the grand committee doesn’t last long, but this time the opposition is eager to discuss the motion and hear experts. This may not be possible because the governing parties no longer want it.
What does the bill contain?
In the government’s bill, drinks are divided into two castes. Only alcoholic beverages produced by fermentation, i.e. mainly beer, cider and wine, reach the retail store at eight percent strength.
Instead, the eight percent ethanol-based mixed drinks, i.e. for example strong long drinks, will still remain at Alko.
The manufacturing method restriction in question can be problematic under EU law, which is why Harjanne proposed to remove it from the law completely.
The EU asked the government for additional reasons why the two manufacturing methods are treated differently. The government justified limitation, among other things, with the desire to protect girls from the harmful effects of alcohol.
What EU legal problems can result?
Thursday in the parliamentary debate the convention Sinuhe Wallinheimo confirmed that there is an EU legal risk associated with the bill.
“There are different interpretations of this in terms of EU law, but it is clear that even if this passes EU law, it will go over the bar,” said Wallinheimo.
The Commission can intervene in legislation that violates EU law by launching an infringement procedure, which will ultimately be decided by the EU Court of Justice. In its own assessment, the Parliament’s Finance Committee considered this likely.
The question is how long Finland will be able to justify Alko’s monopoly position, when more products are released to the retail market again. Finland has been able to maintain Alko’s monopoly because it has been reported to limit the intake of alcohol to prevent harm.
Will the increase in percentage limits stop there?
Alcohol liberation projects continue. It is written into the government program that by the time of the government’s mid-term meeting, a report on the liberalization of the sale of 15 percent strength wines will be made in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of Labor and Economy.
Correction: In the draft law, eight percent ethanol-based drink mixes remain in Alko, not 5.5 percent, as the article previously read.
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