Sales of alcoholic beverages in international transport
The sale of alcoholic beverages in international transport must be reported to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). The notification obligation applies to the retail sale or serving of alcoholic beverages to passengers on ships and aircraft between Finland and a foreign country or in a foreign country, as well as at airports after the security checkpoint.
You can submit a notification on the sale of alcoholic beverages in international transport in the e-service of the alcohol trade register Allu. If you are submitting a new notification, go to the front page of the e-service, select Service forms and then select Notification of sales of alcoholic beverages in international transport. If you have already submitted the notification in question, you can make changes by selecting the notification on the front page under Customer or in the licence register. Go to Allu e-services.
The notification obligation concerning the serving or retail sales of alcoholic beverages in international transport applies to vessels with a Finnish nationality. Retail sales can only be carried out on the basis of a notification submitted to Valvira in the Finnish territory onboard a passenger vessel or aircraft that is moving between a Finnish and foreign port or airport. However, a vessel moving along its regular route can stop at the Åland Islands.
Submit a notification to Valvira if you sell alcoholic beverages at an airport tax-free shop to passengers travelling abroad in such a way that the passengers take the beverages with them. For a tax-free shop, you must obtain an authorised warehouse keeper licence from the Finnish Tax Administration.
However, for taxable retail sales of alcoholic beverages at an airport, you will need a retail trade licence from the Regional State Administrative Agency. For more information on the retail trade licence, see the website of the Regional State Administrative Agencies. The easiest way to apply for a retail trade licence is to use the e-service of the alcohol trade register Allu. Go to Allu e-services.
Submit a notification to Valvira if you serve alcoholic beverages in an airport area used for international traffic, to which passengers can only gain access by presenting a boarding pass.
If you serve alcoholic beverages at an airport in an area prior to the security check, you will need a serving licence from the Regional State Administrative Agency. For more information on the serving licence, see the website of the Regional State Administrative Agencies. The easiest way to apply for a serving licence is to use the e-service of the alcohol trade register Allu. Go to Allu e-services.
Frequently asked questions
Provide information on the facilities in which alcohol is sold, the sales supervision measures and information on the maintenance of public order. In addition, specify the location of the retail sales areas and licensed areas, and how they are demarcated. The size and structure of the licensed areas must be such that the authorities and operators will be able to supervise them. Attach to the notification a self-monitoring plan in accordance with the Alcohol Act.
Notify Valvira if, for example, any changes in the licensed or retail sales area or the arrangements for the selling of alcoholic beverages are made.
The length of the processing varies on a case-by-case basis. The average processing time for new notifications is around two weeks.
The processing fee charged by Valvira is determined in accordance with the currently valid Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. In 2024, the processing of a new notification concerning a ship or an aircraft costs EUR 500, the processing of a new notification concerning an airport EUR 300 and the modification of a notification EUR 225.
The serving and retail sales of alcoholic beverages in international transport must, as a rule, comply with the same regulations as other serving and retail sales operations. However, the regulations on the serving and retail sales hours are more lenient: serving and retail sales are only prohibited between 4 am and 5:30 am. In addition, the responsible manager of licensed premises in international transport does not need to have an alcohol passport.