Impact of Europeanization on Nordic alcohol control policies: a discussion of processes and national differences

• Published in: Journal of European Social Policy
• Main Author: Ugland, Trygve
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 2000
• Subjects: Norway; Iceland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/a011592; https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/a011592

The impact of Europeanization on Nordic alcohol control policies can occur through three main processes: 'positive activist reform', 'negative reform', and 'reform by indirect (de facto) pressure'. In this article the significance of each of these processes has been considered, and based on this discussion, it emerges that the effects have mainly occurred through negative reforms or indirect pressure. Through these processes, the state alcohol monopoly systems have been deregulated and liberalized, and the price levels of alcoholic beverages have been lowered and are currently under pressure to be further reduced. The impact of Europeanization on Nordic alcohol control policies have to a large degree been the same for the EU members Finland and Sweden, as for Iceland and Norway, due to their participation in the EEA Agreement. The activist role of the courts and the dominance of negative reforms within the single market are crucial.