Subscribe

    • Please enter a valid email address.

    • The Labour Party and its elected representatives may use the data you have supplied. If you do not wish to be contacted by the Labour Party please unsubscribe by clicking here.

MEP Action to Protect Whisky Industry

Press Release
For Immediate Release

22 June 2011

SCOTS MEP BATTLES  TO PROTECT RIGHTS OF THE WHISKY INDUSTRY

The Scotch whisky industry has won vital legal protection with the closure of a loophole in a forthcoming EU law that could have undermined the industry.

Original  proposals for new EU consumer rules included a specific exemption to  protect wine manufacturers because supply contracts are often drawn up years before the product is  delivered, but the original plans did not include the whisky industry.  MEPs are set to vote to ensure that the wine and whisky industry are treated equally and fairly.

The vote is set to be approved  by MEPs on 23 June 2011 and is strongly welcomed by Labour’s European consumer spokesperson and Scottish MEP Catherine Stihler.

The proposed Consumer Rights  Directive  will apply to all business to consumer contracts for goods  and services across the EU.  Under the proposals, consumers have the ‘right of withdrawal’ from a purchase fourteen calendar days after they have  received their goods.

The draft of the Directive does not, however,  take into account that there should be some obvious exemptions from the law,  such as goods which take a long time to produce.  

Speaking from  the European Parliament, Mrs. Stihler commented:

“Whilst the right of  withdrawal is an important and vital part of people’s consumer rights, there  should be some exemptions from the rule as in some cases it is not always  appropriate.  The original proposals were not fair because it took into  account that the sale of wine should be protected, but not whisky.  The  average Scotch malt whisky takes more than ten years to mature”.

“The  new rules will stop the industry from being penalised.  If a manufacturer  commits to producing whisky, they shall be guaranteed that they shall be paid for the product”.

“This amendment should help to safeguard the future of our prized industry”.

The new rights package should be implemented by February or March of 2014.

ENDS