Alcohol Minimum Price Proposals: EU Official To Publish Opinion
Minimum alcohol price plans backed by the Scottish Government will be assessed by a senior European Union legal official.
Minimum alcohol price plans backed by the Scottish Government will be assessed by a senior European Union legal official.
European Court of Justice advocate general Yves Bot will issue his opinion on the proposal for a minimum unit price of 50p.
Legislation to introduce minimum pricing north of the border was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2012.
The plan stalled after the Scotch Whisky Association and other European wine and spirits producers mounted a legal challenge, arguing that minimum pricing would breach European law.
The legal bid was initially rejected by judge Lord Doherty at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in 2013.
Following an appeal hearing, the case was referred to the Luxembourg court last year for its opinion on six points of European law.
A hearing took place in May before the advocate general and court judges.
The judges will now consider the advocate general's opinion - which will be published online - and give their ruling later this year or early next year.
The case will then be referred back to the Court of Session for a final decision, likely to be months after the European Court of Justice ruling.