The bill on the online sale of alcoholic beverages has been updated and is scheduled to be submitted to the State Duma in the autumn session, Vedomosti found out. Earlier, its author, Senator Andrei Klishas, withdrew the government draft.
The idea of selling alcohol online has been discussed for several months. Andrey Klishas, head of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, first introduced a bill regulating such trade, but withdrew it after criticism from the Finance Ministry. The department believes that the responsibility for violations during the sale should rest with the sellers and not with the place where the goods are sold.
As the newspaper found out, in addition to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Roskomnadzor and Rosalkogolregulirovanie sent comments. In general, the departments support the initiative, but insist on finalizing the bill.
What does Rosalkogolregulirovanie offer?
The Secretariat wants to consolidate at the federal level a mechanism to keep a registry of owners of premises for the sale of alcoholic beverages, as well as to determine a mechanism to control rotation in the EGAIS system.
Basic requirements of the Ministry of Finance
- First of all, it concerns the removal of the department’s previous comments on the topic of liability for violations of trade rules – they should be borne only by the seller, and not by the marketplace or delivery service.
- The seller himself or the logistics company on behalf of or on behalf of the seller must deliver the alcoholic products. Therefore, in case of violations, the company will be liable to the seller within the framework of the established agreement.
- The ministry also insists that only those Internet sites that are included in a special register of such platforms with proper warehouses and licenses for purchase, storage and sale have the right to sell alcohol online.
- Finally, the Ministry of Finance wants to establish an order for the acceptable age of the buyer.
FAS Observations
The Federal Antimonopoly Service does not agree with the position of the Ministry of Finance and believes that all participants in the sale and delivery should bear responsibility for violations.
The markets, unlike the FAS, support the position of the Ministry of Finance, Vedomosti learned from the Association of Internet Trading Companies. Russian Post is also ready to engage in sales and has already prepared the appropriate infrastructure.
However, as Kommersant previously wrote, the Ministry of Internal Affairs opposed the sale of alcohol online through the Post Office.
About a third of Russians would like to be able to order alcoholic beverages online, subject to a number of conditions, the survey previously showed. Among the requirements of citizens are the presence of a special seal, sale only in reputable markets and detailed information about the manufacturing companies in the product description.
Author:
Natalia Gormaleva
Source: RB
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