Minimum pricing heads back to court

By: James Wilmore - 15 January 2013 00:34

The battle over minimum pricing enters yet another chapter today (15 January) when the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and the Scottish Government lock horns in court.

Eight days have been put aside intially for Edinburgh's Court of Session to hear the arguments for and against the controversial move. The Judicial Review hearing was supposed to start properly in October, but a row broke out after QCs acting for the Scottish Government claimed that the SWA had submitted late evidence.

Since October, it has emerged that the European Commission has urged the Scottish and UK Governments to abandon their plans for a minimum price as it feels the measure is “disproportionate” and will be an obstacle to trade.

This is clearly good news for the SWA. Even if the Court of Session ruling goes in favour of the administrations, there is still the European leg of its legal challenge, where the trade body is on more confident ground.