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Smakfullt gränsöverskridande - e-handelsförsäljning av alkoholdrycker. Etableringens tillräcklighet i ljuset av Winefindermålet

Frost, My LU (2023) LAGF03 20232
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Sveriges alkoholmonopol, som instiftades för att reglera alkoholförsäljningen för att främja folkhälsan, förändrades efter EU-inträdet 1995, vilket ökade tillgängligheten av alkohol och möjliggjorde fler leverantörer på marknaden. Efter ändringar i alkohollagen 2008 uppkom flera webbplatser för alkoholbeställningar med hemleverans. Rättsliga åtgärder från Systembolaget mot e-handelsföretaget Winefinder ledde till en rättsprocess där kopplingen mellan ett företags etablering och e-handelsförsäljningens överensstämmelse med alkohollagen fastställdes av Högsta domstolen den 7 juli 2023. Gränserna för etablering och deras påverkan på alkoholförsäljningens natur har blivit centrala för att förstå lagstiftningen och dess tillämpning inom detta... (More)
Sveriges alkoholmonopol, som instiftades för att reglera alkoholförsäljningen för att främja folkhälsan, förändrades efter EU-inträdet 1995, vilket ökade tillgängligheten av alkohol och möjliggjorde fler leverantörer på marknaden. Efter ändringar i alkohollagen 2008 uppkom flera webbplatser för alkoholbeställningar med hemleverans. Rättsliga åtgärder från Systembolaget mot e-handelsföretaget Winefinder ledde till en rättsprocess där kopplingen mellan ett företags etablering och e-handelsförsäljningens överensstämmelse med alkohollagen fastställdes av Högsta domstolen den 7 juli 2023. Gränserna för etablering och deras påverkan på alkoholförsäljningens natur har blivit centrala för att förstå lagstiftningen och dess tillämpning inom detta område.
Uppsatsens syfte är att utforska företags möjligheter att bedriva e-handelsförsäljning av alkoholdrycker från ett annat EU/EES-land till svenska konsumenter. Genom att besvara frågor om gränsen mellan privatinförsel och detaljhandelsförsäljning av alkohol i Sverige samt hur etableringsbegreppet ska bedömas, avser den att klargöra när ett företag anses tillräckligt etablerat i ett annat EU/EES-land för att kunna tillämpa undantaget för privatinförsel enligt alkohollagen.
I uppsatsen konstateras att EU-domstolen i praxis beskrivit begreppet etablering bland annat som en verksamhet som bedrivs med hjälp av ett fast driftställe under obestämd tid, samtidigt som domstolen också definierat etablering som att stadigvarande och kontinuerligt bedriva ekonomisk verksamhet i en medlemsstat. Således har EU-domstolen gett olika beskrivningar av begreppet. De nämnda skilda definitionerna av etablering bör ses som kompletterande snarare än motstridiga, då ett fast driftställe under obestämd tid kan indikera en stadigvarande och kontinuerlig verksamhet och vice versa.
Tolkningen av etableringsbegreppet är komplex och öppen för olika bedömningar, särskilt när det gäller e-handelsföretag med distributionscenter eller lager i flera medlemsstater. För ett företag som erbjuder tjänster via en webbplats på Internet avgörs inte etableringsplatsen av var webbplatsens utrustning finns, utan av var företaget driver sin affärsverksamhet. Vid flera etableringsplatser är det viktigt att klargöra från vilken plats en specifik tjänst tillhandahålls, och om det är svårt att fastställa, anses platsen för leverantörens huvudsakliga verksamhet för den specifika tjänsten vara avgörande.
Slutsatsen som nås är att etableringsbegreppet enligt EU-domstolens praxis är avgörande men komplext vid en bedömning av ett företags gränsöverskridande närvaro. Särskilt för e-handelsföretag behövs bättre vägledning och enhetliga kriterier inom EU-rätten. Att skapa mer precisa riktlinjer skulle göra lagtillämpningen mer förutsägbar för gränsöverskridande företag. (Less)
Abstract
Sweden's alcohol monopoly, established to regulate alcohol sales and promote public health, underwent changes following its entry into the EU in
1995, increasing alcohol accessibility and permitting more suppliers in the
market. Amendments to The Alcohol Act in 2008 resulted in the emergence
of various websites for alcohol orders with home delivery. Legal actions by
Systembolaget against the e-commerce company Winefinder led to a legal
process where the correlation between a company's establishment and the
compliance of e-commerce sales with The Alcohol Act was determined by
the Supreme Court on July 7, 2023. Understanding the boundaries of establishment and their impact on alcohol sales became pivotal in comprehending
the... (More)
Sweden's alcohol monopoly, established to regulate alcohol sales and promote public health, underwent changes following its entry into the EU in
1995, increasing alcohol accessibility and permitting more suppliers in the
market. Amendments to The Alcohol Act in 2008 resulted in the emergence
of various websites for alcohol orders with home delivery. Legal actions by
Systembolaget against the e-commerce company Winefinder led to a legal
process where the correlation between a company's establishment and the
compliance of e-commerce sales with The Alcohol Act was determined by
the Supreme Court on July 7, 2023. Understanding the boundaries of establishment and their impact on alcohol sales became pivotal in comprehending
the legislation in this domain.
This essay aims to explore companies' opportunities for conducting e-commerce sales of alcoholic beverages from another EU/EEA country to Swedish
consumers. By addressing the distinction between private import and retail
sales of alcohol in Sweden, as well as how the establishment concept should
be assessed, it seeks to clarify when a company is considered sufficiently established in another EU/EEA country to apply the exception for private imports under The Alcohol Act.
The essay highlights that in practice, the Court of Justice of the European
Union has described the concept of establishment as a business conducted
through a fixed establishment in another member state for an indefinite period, while also defining establishment as the conduct of economic activity
on a stable and continuous basis. Hence, the Court has provided different descriptions of the concept. These distinct definitions of establishment should
be viewed as complementary rather than contradictory, as a fixed establishment for an indefinite period may indicate a stable and continuous activity
and vice versa.

The interpretation of the establishment concept is complex and subject to various assessments, particularly concerning e-commerce companies with distribution centers or warehouses in multiple member states. For a company
providing services through an internet website, the place of establishment of
a company providing services via an Internet website is not the place at which
the technology supporting its website is located, or the place at which its website is accessible, but the place where the company pursues its economic activity. In cases of multiple places of establishment, it is important to determine
from which location a particular service is provided. If challenging to determine, the provider’s primary activity location for that specific service becomes decisive.
The conclusion emphasizes that the concept of establishment, according to
the Court of Justice of the European Union's practice, is pivotal yet complex
in evaluating a company's cross-border presence. Better guidance and uniform criteria within EU law are necessary for e-commerce companies. Establishing more precise guidelines would enhance predictability in law application for cross-border enterprises (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Frost, My LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20232
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
EU-rätt, konkurrensrätt, e-handel, winefinder, alkohollagen, privatinförsel, etablering, etableringsfrihet
language
Swedish
id
9142902
date added to LUP
2024-02-02 12:08:15
date last changed
2024-02-02 12:08:15
@misc{9142902,
  abstract     = {{Sweden's alcohol monopoly, established to regulate alcohol sales and promote public health, underwent changes following its entry into the EU in 
1995, increasing alcohol accessibility and permitting more suppliers in the 
market. Amendments to The Alcohol Act in 2008 resulted in the emergence 
of various websites for alcohol orders with home delivery. Legal actions by 
Systembolaget against the e-commerce company Winefinder led to a legal 
process where the correlation between a company's establishment and the 
compliance of e-commerce sales with The Alcohol Act was determined by 
the Supreme Court on July 7, 2023. Understanding the boundaries of establishment and their impact on alcohol sales became pivotal in comprehending 
the legislation in this domain.
This essay aims to explore companies' opportunities for conducting e-commerce sales of alcoholic beverages from another EU/EEA country to Swedish 
consumers. By addressing the distinction between private import and retail 
sales of alcohol in Sweden, as well as how the establishment concept should 
be assessed, it seeks to clarify when a company is considered sufficiently established in another EU/EEA country to apply the exception for private imports under The Alcohol Act.
The essay highlights that in practice, the Court of Justice of the European 
Union has described the concept of establishment as a business conducted 
through a fixed establishment in another member state for an indefinite period, while also defining establishment as the conduct of economic activity 
on a stable and continuous basis. Hence, the Court has provided different descriptions of the concept. These distinct definitions of establishment should 
be viewed as complementary rather than contradictory, as a fixed establishment for an indefinite period may indicate a stable and continuous activity 
and vice versa.

The interpretation of the establishment concept is complex and subject to various assessments, particularly concerning e-commerce companies with distribution centers or warehouses in multiple member states. For a company 
providing services through an internet website, the place of establishment of 
a company providing services via an Internet website is not the place at which 
the technology supporting its website is located, or the place at which its website is accessible, but the place where the company pursues its economic activity. In cases of multiple places of establishment, it is important to determine
from which location a particular service is provided. If challenging to determine, the provider’s primary activity location for that specific service becomes decisive.
The conclusion emphasizes that the concept of establishment, according to 
the Court of Justice of the European Union's practice, is pivotal yet complex 
in evaluating a company's cross-border presence. Better guidance and uniform criteria within EU law are necessary for e-commerce companies. Establishing more precise guidelines would enhance predictability in law application for cross-border enterprises}},
  author       = {{Frost, My}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Smakfullt gränsöverskridande - e-handelsförsäljning av alkoholdrycker. Etableringens tillräcklighet i ljuset av Winefindermålet}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}