Estonia to shut down state alcohol registry as of November 1

The Estonian parliament (Riigikogu) has adopted in the third and final reading amendments to legislation that will terminate the operation of the state alcohol product registry as of November 1, 2026. The changes are intended to ease administrative load on entrepreneurs and simplify the introduction of new products to the market.

Once the law comes into force, producers and importers will no longer need to register alcoholic beverages in a special register before starting sales. If a product meets European Union and Estonian safety requirements, it can be immediately placed on the market. Concurrently, several related reporting obligations are abolished, such as submission of laboratory test protocols and reports on the movement of wine products.

The government, which initiated the bill, says the innovation will reduce bureaucratic procedures for both businesses and the state. The Agriculture and Food Board (PTA) will no longer have to maintain the register, and the freed resources can be redirected to supervisory activities. Registry data will not be destroyed; after its termination, all registration documents will be transferred to the PTA archive, where they will be kept for ten years.

Until now, the register was also a convenient tool for ordinary residents. Through public search on the website, anyone could quickly check the legality and origin of a purchased beverage, its exact composition, actual alcohol content, country of production, and the name of the official importer.

Criticism was also voiced during parliamentary debate. Tanel Kiik, a Social Democratic Party MP, stated that the changes in alcohol policy were adopted without sufficient input from health and addiction prevention specialists. According to him, the government mainly consulted with alcohol industry representatives during preparation of the reform, while public health organizations were virtually excluded from discussions.

At the same time, business associations supported the abolition of the register. Positive feedback on the bill was previously given by the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Estonian Agricultural and Trade Chamber, and the Union of Alcohol Producers and Importers.

The bill was submitted by the government in April this year and finally passed by the Riigikogu on June 16. Fifty-three deputies voted in favor, with none voting against or abstaining. The document will now be sent to the president for proclamation.

About eight years ago, the issue of liquidating this register, which has existed since 1994, was raised at the level of the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture, but the idea was not implemented at that time.