Handling of a controversial government bill regarding online alcohol sales and home delivery has been postponed until next year.
Some companies, including the nation’s largest retailer, the S Group, and delivery company Wolt have already detailed plans for how they plan to operate if and when the law takes effect – but they have called for clarifications in the bill. For instance, they say there should be clearer stipulations to ensure that an alcohol delivery is not passed on to a minor or someone who is already intoxicated, for instance.
The chair of the Constitutional Law Committee, Heikki Vestman (NCP), told Yle on Thursday afternoon that the committee will not be able to complete a statement on the proposal within the timetable for budget bills.
The Constitutional Law Committee considered the bill on Tuesday, but members called for more expert testimony.
"For this reason, it won’t be completed in time," said Vestman, adding that more urgent budget-related bills must be processed first.
"The change in the Alcohol Act represents 240,000 euros in additional spending. That’s not a significant impact on next year's budget. Therefore, in my understanding, removing the act from the budget is not at all critical in terms of processing the budget," Vestman explained.
He pointed out that other budget legislation could have impacts totalling more than 100 million euros.
Crunch time ahead of MPs' winter break
The Constitutional Law Committee was supposed to submit a statement on the alcohol law to the Social Affairs and Health Committee, which is preparing the final report on it. But that will not happen until later, likely postponing the law's entry into force.
The Social Affairs and Health Committee already moved the alcohol bill to the lowest priority on its to-do list last week due to a backlog of bills. The committee has been given additional time to consider budget bills until 5 December.
According to Yle sources, the committee has once again become heavily backlogged due to a pileup of budget bills. It is chaired by Krista Kiuru (SDP), who was minister of social services in 2019-23.
Parliament is scheduled to complete its handling of the budget on 19 December before its winter recess. MPs are to return to work on 2 February.
