Finland’s Alcohol Act reform has moved forward in Parliament in a form that would expand alcohol availability through distance sales, home delivery and longer Alko opening hours. EHYT and Juha Mikkonen warn that the key public health and tax control questions remain unresolved.

EHYT welcomes the Finnish Parliament committee’s amendments to the Alcohol Act proposal, but stresses that the changes must be notified to the EU before the bill is brought to the plenary session.

The Finnish government’s proposal to expand alcohol home delivery and distance selling threatens to increase alcohol consumption and harms while directing profits abroad. EHYT warns that the move undermines proven public health policies and places children and youth at greater risk.

Helsinki Administrative Court ruled that a German company selling alcohol via a Finnish-language web shop must pay Finnish excise duty. By recommending specific carriers, the seller indirectly arranged the shipment, so the sales counted as distance selling under EU law, in line with the CJEU judgment of 19 December 2024.