Minimum alcohol price plan referred to European court by Scottish judges

A plan to set a minimum price for all alcoholic drinks in Scotland was referred by appeal judges to the European Court of Justice on the 30 April 2014, after a long legal battle waged by the whisky industry.

The Court of Session in Edinburgh said there were several complex issues involving EU law on free trade and the right of ministers to set price controls to protect public health that could only be decided in the European court.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Scotland wins court case on minimum pricing of alcohol http://www.europeansources.info/record/scotland-wins-court-case-on-minimum-pricing-of-alcohol/

Scotland: Government: Topics: Minimum pricing http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/Services/Alcohol/minimum-pricing

UK: Parliament: House of Commons: Alcohol: minimum pricing - Commons Library Standard Note , February 2014 http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/briefing-papers/SN05021/alcohol-minimum-pricing

Scotland: NHS Health Scotland: Topics: alcohol minimum pricing http://www.healthscotland.com/topics/health/alcohol/MinimumPricing.aspx

Scotch Whisky Association: Minimum pricing http://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/what-we-do/policy,-parliament-promotion/minimum-pricing/

EurActiv, 08.09.14: Government, industry want minimum alcohol pricing in Scotland http://www.euractiv.com/sections/health-consumers/government-industry-want-minimum-alcohol-pricing-scotland-308272

Blog: EU Law Analysis, 05.09.15: Minimum Alcohol Pricing: the AG balances public health, trade and competition http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/minimum-alcohol-pricing-ag-balances.html

---