Avance served as pro-bono counsel to Pienpanimoliitto ry

Avance served as pro-bono counsel to Pienpanimoliitto ry, the Finnish trade association representing Finnish microbreweries, in putting forward a legislative proposal to the Finnish Government to allow distance selling of alcoholic beverages produced by microbreweries on a temporary basis. The legislative proposal, the full text of which is available at Pienpanimoliitto’s website (https://pienpanimoliitto.fi/medialle), is aimed at supporting Finnish microbreweries that are currently struggling amidst the effects of the coronavirus epidemic. The forced closure of bars and restaurants, as well as the cancellation of tasting events, has resulted in a dramatic decline in sales, thereby threatening the very survival of the nascent Finnish microbrewery industry. Allowing distance selling would support the survival of the companies over the acute phase of the crisis and substantially increase the range of products available to Finnish consumers.