Alcoholic beverages

Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health amending the Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on the Supervision of the Alcohol Act

The draft Decree would amend the Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on the Supervision of the Alcohol Act (158/2018) following amendments to the Alcohol Act (Notification 2025/0315/FI).

The Alcohol Act (1102/2017) has been amended by Act xx/202x, which will enter into force on dd.mm.202x. The Act would be amended in line with the Government Programme so that it would allow the delivery of alcoholic beverages from domestic retail or from the state alcohol company to a location designated by the purchaser. In addition, the Act would be supplemented with provisions concerning the cross-border distance selling of alcoholic beverages. In both domestic deliveries and distance sales, alcoholic beverages may be handed over to the buyer or another recipient only by the supplier of the alcoholic beverage. For this purpose, in addition to the retail and serving licences, a new licence for the delivery of alcoholic beverages would be introduced to the Alcohol Act. In addition, the Act would allow the online marketing of spirits. In addition, a number of minor or technical amendments were made to the Act.
Section 56 of the Alcohol Act lays down provisions on the license holder’s self-monitoring and the license holder’s obligation to prepare a self-monitoring plan. According to subsection 4 of section 56 of the Alcohol Act, a decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health shall lay down more detailed provisions on the preparation, content, and implementation of the self-monitoring plan.
Section 58 of the Alcohol Act provides for the granting of a certificate demonstrating knowledge of the Alcohol Act.
According to subsection 4 of that section, a decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health shall lay down more detailed provisions on the content and assessment of the examination referred to in subsections 1 and 2, as well as on equivalent training and qualifications, and on the acceptance of a certificate granted in the Åland Islands as a certificate referred to in subsection 1.
Section 62 of the Alcohol Act provides for the supervisory authority’s right of inspection and access to information.
According to subsection 4 of that section, the license holder must periodically provide the supervisory authorities with the notifications and information necessary for supervision and for assessing the risks of the license holder’s sales and other activities. Further provisions on submitting declarations and information are laid down by decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
It is proposed that the decree be amended so as to also take into account the supervision of the supply license for alcoholic beverages. The current decree does not contain separate provisions concerning the supply license, which is why it needs to be supplemented in this respect.
The Alcohol Act (1102/2017) has been amended by Act 13/2025. As a result of this amendment, the tasks assigned to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health will, due to the state regional administration reform, be transferred to the new Licensing and Supervisory Authority as of 1 January 2026. Corresponding technical amendments are proposed to be made to the Decree.