Estonia is considering introducing a fee for issuing alcohol sales licenses in order to reduce the record number of alcohol sales outlets, writes ERR News ERR News.
The country is reportedly planning to thoroughly review the licensing system. Brigitta Õunmaa, head of the Health Behavioral Policy Department at the Ministry of Social Affairs, said that flower shops and similar places where alcohol sales are not their main activity are unlikely to apply for a license.
The potential license price has not yet been discussed, but it could happen when the research company Haap has completed its analysis of the procedures for issuing alcohol sales licenses in other countries. It is planned that the amount of the fee will not be large (in other countries it is a few hundred euros per year), but it would be a sufficient reason for entrepreneurs to consider whether it is necessary to sell alcohol at all. Õunmaa also noted that issuing a license would allow for the creation of a clearer register.
Estonia could consider the experience of countries where the amount of the fee depends on the number of retail outlets in the area
– the more there are, the higher the fee will be. In several countries, persons with a criminal record and companies owned by them cannot obtain a license for the sale of alcohol. Õunmaa said that in other places, it is also common practice to train personnel, for example, in recognizing the signs of alcohol poisoning and determining age.
However, setting a fee for alcohol sales licenses is not a matter of the next few months. Preparations may take years, as it is necessary to create a development plan, involve shareholders, complete the legislative process, assess the impact and ultimately make a political decision.
The number of alcohol outlets in Estonia has increased to 10,000, which is more than in Latvia and Lithuania, not to mention the Nordic countries, relative to the population.
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