EU to take Sweden to court over booze import laws: report

The European Commission is to take Sweden to court over its alcohol import monopoly which bars Swedes from ordering alcohol directly from abroad, such as over the Internet or from a wine-producing chateau, a Swedish parliamentary newsletter said.

Swedes currently have to go through a state monopoly system to import alcoholic products.

The European Commission has argued that the Swedish import monopoly violates the principle of free circulation of goods within the European Union.

Stockholm has meanwhile insisted that the monopoly is needed to protect Swedes' public health, to avoid violation of drinking age limits and, perhaps most importantly, to ensure that taxes are paid on the imports.

The dispute over Sweden's import monopoly has been volleyed back and forth between the government and the EU Commission for a long time but the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement.

According to the Swedish online parliamentary newsletter Riksdag och departement, the Commission has decided to let the European Court of Justice settle the matter.

It said the Swedish EU delegation in Brussels had been informed of the decision but that the official legal papers had not yet been filed with the European court.

Sweden has notoriously high taxes on alcohol, aimed primarily at keeping a lid on drinks consumption to protect public health. State-run liquor stores are also, apart from bars and restaurants, the only outlets allowed to sell alcohol to the public.

The government has however recently eased restrictions on how much alcohol Swedes travelling to other countries can bringing back with them. As of January 1, there is no limit to how much booze can be imported in such a manner, as long as it is destined for private consumption.