"Steve Walker" wrote in message
...
Look at the ridiculous case of Scotland and now Wales wanting
to introduce a minimum per unit price for alcohol and it
being held up as a number of countries contest it
as a restriction of trade.

2012 - 7 years ago

The Scottish Parliament first considered the introduction
of minimum pricing in 2012 but met constant objections from
the SWA the Scotch Whisky Association

Dec 2015 - 4 years ago

quote

[It was only three years later that] the European court has ruled
that the Scottish government's plan to impose a blanket minimum
price for alcohol is in breach of EU free-trade laws.

In a significant blow to one of Nicola Sturgeon's flagship policies,
the European court of justice (ECJ) said the policy could be justified
on health grounds under EU law only if it was more proportionate
and effective than using general taxation.

The ECJ returned the case to Scotland's civil courts for a final ruling,

quote


https://www.theguardian.com/society/...aw-court-rules


Sep 2017 - 2 years ago

quote

The UK Supreme Court has ruled that Scotland can set a minimum
price for alcohol, rejecting a challenge by the Scotch Whisky Association
(SWA). Legislation was approved by the Scottish Parliament five years
ago but has
been tied up in court challenges.

quote

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-41981909



Please note challenges were in fact made not by the ECJ -
the UK Supreme Court rejected their reasoning which wasn't
appealed - but the Scottish Whisky Association.

Their reasoning being -



It is the latest twist in a long-running legal battle led
by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) after the Scottish
parliament voted in favour of minimum pricing in 2012.
Ministers set the minimum price at 50p per unit of alcohol,
a measure which would see whisky priced at a minimum
of £14 a bottle.


https://www.theguardian.com/society/...aw-court-rules


The Welsh Assembly only decided to introduce such a measure
this year and it was intended to come into effect this summer.
However affected member states have a three month window in
which to object and make their submissions - in this case
that it will affect their exports. At the end of three
months having considered their submission there is no
reason to think that the Supreme Court will not, as in the
case of the SWA dismiss their objections, allowing the
measure to be introduced in 2020. Around four months late.
Which is 4 years and 8 months shorter than the delay
the Scotch Whisky Association imposed on the Scottish
Parliament


Still there's no reason to allow the actual facts to get in the
way of a good rant I suppose.


michael adams

....