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Scotland: EU states cry fowl over minimum wine prices

By  |  July 26, 2013

Scotland was hit with controversy last week as various member states of the European Union rallied against Scotland’s planned policy to set minimum wine prices, claiming the regulation is illegal, anticompetitive and would hurt domestic markets. France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Bulgaria have all submitted their concerns to the European Commission. The regulator is in the process of reviewing Scotland’s pricing proposal, which looks to be exempt from price-fixing trade restrictions. Scottish lawmakers have backed the regulatory proposals as a way to address the nation’s binge drinking problem; reports say the company must show to the Commission that their minimum price is proportionate to the issue and is necessary to combat the problem.

Full Content: Telegraph

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