Estonia to close alcohol register as producers welcome move

Estonia will close its state alcohol register on 1 November, a decision welcomed by producers and importers as a way to reduce bureaucracy, ERR reports.

Janek Kalvi, chairman of Liviko, said the register had originally been created when nearly half of the alcohol consumed in Estonia was illicit, making strict state oversight justified. It had since become burdensome and bureaucratic, he said.

Kalvi said companies had to register every new product and submit samples. Even minor changes to a label could require a new sample, and registrations sometimes led to disagreements with register officials over formal requirements.

The closure will not remove producers’ and importers’ legal responsibilities, Kalvi said. They will remain responsible for ensuring their products and paperwork comply with the law, while other authorities will continue oversight. He said consumers had no reason to worry, while the change would make things easier for the industry.