At the end of 2013, an amendment to the Icelandic Act on Trade in Alcohol and Tobacco was notified. This regulation gives to ÁTVR (state monopoly) powers to impede the marketing of goods, so it is absolutely crucial to define criteria which cannot be subject to interpretation. spiritsEUROPE is encouraging the European Commission to ask for more detailed and precise wording - to avoid any discriminatory measures against spirits exporters and distributors in Iceland.
Some of the product selection rules appear to be unjustified and disproportionate in comparison to the expressed goal of the protection of public health. Restrictions must be detailed enough to provide a level playing field for competition. For instance, the possibility for the ÁTVR to outlaw products, packaging or marketing that include “lottery, special offer or bonus may cause discrimination against spirits products. Considering that our products are often consumed in the form of cocktails, spirit companies naturally propose materials such as cocktail recipes or accessories as well as recommendations on how to best to enjoy our products in moderation.
Secondly, the ban of alcohol products containing caffeine means that we would not be allowed to market products such as coffee liqueurs. While we take note of the concerns raised by the Icelandic authorities on alcohol products containing caffeine, spiritsEUROPE fully relies on the competent authorities in charge of protecting European consumers such as the European Food Safety Authority and DG Sanco. We do not see any scientific reason to ban coffee liqueurs from the Icelandic market on the grounds of the protection of public health. The proposed legislation is disproportionate and hampers the free circulation of goods.
