Estonia plans to introduce paid alcohol sales licenses to reduce number of outlets

Estonia's Ministry of Social Affairs is exploring the introduction of a fee for alcohol sales licenses in an effort to reduce the rapidly growing number of alcohol retail outlets. The country currently has around 10,000 such outlets, which per capita is higher than in Latvia, Lithuania, and the Nordic countries.

According to Brigitta Õunmaa, head of the Health Behavior Policy Department, the likely fee would be modest – a few hundred euros per year, as seen in other countries. However, even this amount could prompt business owners to reconsider the necessity of selling alcohol, especially in establishments where it is not the primary business, such as flower shops.

Introducing licenses would create a clearer register and improve oversight. Estonia is also considering varying the fee based on the density of outlets in a given area – the more outlets, the higher the fee. Additionally, practices such as denying licenses to individuals with criminal records and requiring staff training (e.g., recognizing alcohol poisoning symptoms and age verification) are being considered.

However, these changes will not happen quickly. The preparation process could take several years, as it requires research, a development plan, stakeholder involvement, legislative procedures, impact assessment, and ultimately a political decision.