Expert does not believe that the monopoly has to be sacrificed

The government does not assess that doorstep sales threaten the Swedish alcohol monopoly. Finland's system for doorstep sales has previously been tested and accepted by the EU Court of Justice. However, there are uncertainties.

» Updated: July 16 2024

» Published: June 05 2024

Expert does not believe that the monopoly has to be sacrificed
Photo: Christine Olsson/TT

The government does not assess that farm sales threaten the Swedish alcohol monopoly.

Finland's system for farm sales has been tested and accepted by the EU Court of Justice earlier. However, there are uncertainties.

A bill proposal on farm sales will be laid before the government this summer. If it becomes a reality, it will no longer be just Systembolaget that can sell alcohol, but also hundreds of small-scale Swedish beer, wine, and spirits producers.

Some argue that it would mean a risk for the Swedish alcohol monopoly to be broken up and that Sweden would have to allow also larger and foreign producers to sell alcohol.

Jörgen Hettne, professor of commercial law at Lund University, does not assess that the Swedish alcohol monopoly is threatened, and leans towards Finland, which has had farm sales since 1995.

In Sweden, it is proposed that everything from beer and cider to spirits should be available. In Finland, only fruit and berry wine and "craft beer" can be sold on farms.

The government assesses that around 600 Swedish producers are covered, and the relatively large number could lead to uncertainty about the issue ending up in the EU Court of Justice, according to Hettne.

Jörgen Hettne does not believe that a dispute in the EU Court of Justice would mean that Systembolaget's monopoly would be re-evaluated.

Instead, it would be a separate review of the conditions for farm sales, he says. That's what happened when Finland's system was tested. Had the Finnish conditions for farm sales been deemed invalid, the permit system for farm sales would have needed to be changed, not the alcohol monopoly Alko, Hettne means.

This has to do with the fact that the monopoly is mainly governed by Article 37 of the EU Treaty, while farm sales are regulated by Articles 34 and 36.

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Expert Group to Guide Västra
1 MIN READ

Expert Group to Guide Västra Götaland After Millennium System Setback

Kristersson Calls for Doubling Sweden's
3 MIN READ

Kristersson Calls for Doubling Sweden's Conscription Numbers

Woman in Her 60s Killed
1 MIN READ

Woman in Her 60s Killed in Collision with Truck Near Kristianstad

Three Men Charged in Assault
1 MIN READ

Three Men Charged in Assault and Rape Case in Kristianstad

Sweden Proposes Stricter Housing Rules
3 MIN READ

Sweden Proposes Stricter Housing Rules for New Immigrants

Woman Prosecuted for Forcing Women
1 MIN READ

Woman Prosecuted for Forcing Women into Sex Work at Malmö Massage Parlor

Swedish Authorities to Probe Lexbase
1 MIN READ

Swedish Authorities to Probe Lexbase and Krimfup for GDPR Compliance

Swedish Police Arrest 15 in
2 MIN READ

Swedish Police Arrest 15 in Global Crackdown on Child Abuse Site

Father and Brother Sentenced in
3 MIN READ

Father and Brother Sentenced in Sweden for Honor Killing of 22-Year-Old

Current Laws Sufficient to Tackle
1 MIN READ

Current Laws Sufficient to Tackle Hunting Sabotage, Says Investigator

Social Democrats Push to End
2 MIN READ

Social Democrats Push to End Sick Pay Deduction in Sweden

Kristersson: Sweden Intensifies Efforts for
2 MIN READ

Kristersson: Sweden Intensifies Efforts for Journalist Detained in Turkey

Kristersson: EU Ready to Tackle
2 MIN READ

Kristersson: EU Ready to Tackle US Tariffs Together

Google to Slow Pixel Phone
2 MIN READ

Google to Slow Pixel Phone Charging for Better Battery Health

Teen Sentenced to Nearly 9
1 MIN READ

Teen Sentenced to Nearly 9 Years for Murder of 16-Year-Old in Stockholm

Suspected Sinkhole Disrupts Gothenburg Tram
1 MIN READ

Suspected Sinkhole Disrupts Gothenburg Tram Lines 4, 7, 9, and 11

Sweden Allocates 500 Million Kronor
2 MIN READ

Sweden Allocates 500 Million Kronor to Enhance Psychiatric Care

Postcode Lottery Halts Phone Sales
2 MIN READ

Postcode Lottery Halts Phone Sales After Aggressive Tactics Exposed

Sweden Faces Pension Debate as
2 MIN READ

Sweden Faces Pension Debate as Calls for Fee Hike Intensify

Boy Under 15 Arrested in
1 MIN READ

Boy Under 15 Arrested in Attempted Murder Case in Sweden

Report Highlights Workplace Vulnerability of
2 MIN READ

Report Highlights Workplace Vulnerability of Young Women in Sweden

Fasting Three Days a Week
3 MIN READ

Fasting Three Days a Week Yields Greater Weight Loss Than Calorie Cutting

Medicine Turns Human Blood Toxic
2 MIN READ

Medicine Turns Human Blood Toxic to Mosquitoes, Offering Malaria Hope

Explosion at Malmö Apartment Building
1 MIN READ

Explosion at Malmö Apartment Building Under Investigation

Two Seriously Injured in Ydre
1 MIN READ

Two Seriously Injured in Ydre Car Crash; Police Investigate Negligence

Suspicious Object in Malmö Deemed
1 MIN READ

Suspicious Object in Malmö Deemed Harmless by Police

Lena Nyberg Takes Helm of
1 MIN READ

Lena Nyberg Takes Helm of Sami Truth Commission

Tony's Chocolonely Recalls Chocolate Over
1 MIN READ

Tony's Chocolonely Recalls Chocolate Over Stone Contamination Risk

Sweden Expands Conscription Eligibility with
1 MIN READ

Sweden Expands Conscription Eligibility with Streamlined Process

Suspect Detained in Uddevalla Mosque
1 MIN READ

Suspect Detained in Uddevalla Mosque Fire Investigation

Critics Urge Sweden to Scrap
2 MIN READ

Critics Urge Sweden to Scrap Proposal on Lifestyle-Based Permit Revocation

Swedes Enjoy Longer Lives but
2 MIN READ

Swedes Enjoy Longer Lives but Face Growing Health Inequality

Stockholm Region's Journalist Register Sparks
2 MIN READ

Stockholm Region's Journalist Register Sparks Privacy Concerns

Woman Hospitalized After Attempted Murder
1 MIN READ

Woman Hospitalized After Attempted Murder in Örsundsbro, Suspect Arrested

Journalist Joakim Medin Declares from
2 MIN READ

Journalist Joakim Medin Declares from Turkish Prison: Journalism Is Not a Crime

Fredrick Federley Eyes Return to
1 MIN READ

Fredrick Federley Eyes Return to Center Party Politics in Sweden

Kristersson: Swedish Efforts Intensify for
1 MIN READ

Kristersson: Swedish Efforts Intensify for Journalist's Release in Turkey

Nina Larsson Steps In as
2 MIN READ

Nina Larsson Steps In as Sweden's New Gender Equality Minister

75-Year-Old Woman Arrested in Ale
1 MIN READ

75-Year-Old Woman Arrested in Ale for Suspected Murder of Elderly Man

New Blood Marker Tracks Alzheimer's
2 MIN READ

New Blood Marker Tracks Alzheimer's Progression, Aiding Drug Approval