European union - Hospitality

Scottish foreign satellite football case could impact English pubs

04-Apr-2013 By Gurjit Degun

A case involving a pub chain seeking damages of more than £1.7m against the Scottish Premier League (SPL) could impact on English pubs that have been asked not to use foreign satellite systems.

Retailers and drink producers set to launch campaign against minimum pricing

28-Jan-2013

Major retailers and drinks producers are reportedly set to launch a new campaign in opposition to the Government’s plans for minimum pricing.

Premier League loses appeal over video replays in football broadcasts

21-Dec-2012 By Adam Pescod

The FA Premier League (FAPL) has lost an appeal over football video replays in the long-running QC Leisure case, after a judged ruled yesterday that they are not subject to copyright laws.

Minimum pricing: will damage limitation work?

19-Dec-2012 By Poppleston Allen

There has been much recent publicity concerning difficulties the UK on-trade is experiencing in competing in a marketplace where most alcohol sold is now consumed at home.

Scotland minimum pricing could be delayed due to legal challenges

15-Oct-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The Scottish Government could be forced to shelf plans to introduce a minimum price of alcohol, due to the legal challenges.

European Commission expresses Scotland minimum pricing concerns

02-Oct-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

The European Commission (EC) has expressed concerns to the Scottish Government about its plans to introduce a minimum price of alcohol.

Alcohol Strategy is "aggressive" tactic, claims WSTA chief

27-Sep-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The Government has taken an “aggressive change of tactics” towards the drinks industry with its plans for Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP), the new chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has claimed.

European decision over Scotland minimum pricing extended to year end after Bulgaria objects

17-Sep-2012 By Michelle Perrett

The European Commission (EC) will not make a decision over Scotland's proposals for a minimum pricing scheme of 50p per unit until the end of the year.

Legal battle over minimum pricing in Scotland set to begin

20-Jul-2012 By John Harrington

Drinks lobbyists from across Europe have applied for a judicial review of Scotland’s plans to introduce a minimum price of alcohol, while a complaint has also been lodged in Europe.

Staff sick during holiday can claim days back

25-Jun-2012

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that employees are entitled to claim back holiday time if they are sick during their annual leave.

Beer Tax Fraud Inquiry: Duty stamps plan 'likely to face legal challenge'

15-Jun-2012 By John Harrington

It’s “very likely” that the Government’s plans to implement duty stamps on beer will face a legal challenge, a senior legal expert at Heineken UK has said.

British beer drinkers pay highest tax in Europe

11-Jun-2012 By Michelle Perrett

British beer drinkers pay the highest levels of beer tax of all 16 qualifying countries in Euro 2012, statistics provided by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) have revealed.

Euro minister backs industry duty calls

19-Mar-2012 By Adam Pescod

A British MEP has written to the Chancellor urging him to freeze beer duty in his forthcoming budget on 21 March.

Consequences of the Murphy case

12-Mar-2012 By Peter Coulson

As I commented last week, the decision in the Karen Murphy TV football case was inevitable, given the rulings handed down by the European Court.

Murphy case: Suppliers eager to keep trading

01-Mar-2012 By Adam Pescod

Suppliers of European decoder cards are keen to continue trading as usual despite recent rulings on foreign satellite football.

Murphy wins case against Premier League

24-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

Portsmouth landlady Karen Murphy has claimed victory today in her long-running legal battle with the Premier League over foreign satellite football.

Pubs urged not to buy TV cards after ruling

09-Feb-2012 By Adam Pescod

Licensees have been warned not to buy European satellite TV decoder cards until a definitive ruling on copyright has been made.

Date set for High Court pub football hearing

21-Dec-2011 By John Harrington

The High Court hearing into how the European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) ruling on the use of foreign satellite football systems in pubs applies in the UK has been set for 24 February.

Hosts’ VAT rebate warning on AWP machines

17-Nov-2011 By Gurjit Degun

Licensees have been told to hang fire on spending their VAT rebates on amusement with prizes (AWP) machines despite a court ruling in the European Court of Justice (ECJ) last week.

Good news for pubs over AWP tax ruling

14-Nov-2011 By John Harrington

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has suffered a serious set back in its attempt to reclaim VAT rebates on amusement with prizes (AWP) machines that have been issued to pub operators and licensees.

Motherwell publicans face foreign football satellite charge

28-Oct-2011 By Adam Pescod

A pub manager and licensee in Motherwell will face court over screening Premier League football via an Albanian foreign satellite system.

ECJ Judgment: The case, and the implications

13-Oct-2011

The European Court of Justice’s (ECJ’s) judgement rocked football last week, when it ruled in favour of Karen Murphy in a long-running case against the Premier League for screening football matches via a Greek decoder system.

Murphy "overwhelmed" after winning case against Premier League

13-Oct-2011 By Adam Pescod

Karen Murphy has been left “overwhelmed” by the congratulatory messages she received from all parts of the globe following her landmark victory over the Premier League last week.

Premier League: pub foreign satellite broadcasts still illegal

05-Oct-2011 By Ewan Turney

The Premier League believes that the screening of football matches in pubs via foreign satellite systems is still illegal because the broadcasts contain some copyrighted material — such as the Premier League logo and anthem — which require its authorisation...

'Courts unlikely to stop use of European decoder cards in pubs'

05-Oct-2011 By Michelle Perrett

A leading competition lawyer claims it is unlikely the UK courts will stop the use of European decoder cards being used in pubs.

Foreign satellites: trade bodies welcome ruling but urge caution

04-Oct-2011

Pubs have been issued with a stark warning over the use foreign satellite decoders in the wake of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling today.

Karen Murphy wins European case against Premier League

04-Oct-2011 By Michelle Perrett

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled against the Premier League stating that pubs can show football matches via foreign (European) television decoders.

Brewers to share Budweiser name

28-Sep-2011

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that brewing companies A-B InBev and Budweiser Budvar can both use the Budweiser name in the UK.

Gary Haigh takes over at Miller Brands UK

24-Aug-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Miller Brands UK, the UK arm of international brewer SABMiller, has appointed Gary Haigh as its new managing director.

MPs: don't free up soccer broadcast rights

16-Aug-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

A group of MPs has urged the UK Government to "use all its influence" in Europe to block the freeing up of football broadcast rights that would have...

£6k penalty for screening foreign satellite football

11-Aug-2011 By Adam Pescod

A Lancashire host has been told to pay £6,000 for screening a Premiership match via a foreign satellite feed. Linda Fox, of the Golden Cup, Darwen,...

October 4 set for foreign satellite ruling

09-Aug-2011 By John Harrington

Tuesday 4 October has been earmarked as the date for the landmark judgement on the legality of foreign satellite football in pubs, a well-placed...

BHA in calorie-count call

03-Aug-2011 By Becky Paskin, Big Hospitality

The hospitality industry has been advised to consider putting calorie counts on menus before EU legislation is introduced, despite a lack of proof...

Foreign football satellite judgment expected September

29-Jul-2011 By John Harrington

The landmark judgement on the legality of foreign satellite football in pubs is not expected until "September at the very earliest", according to a...

BBPA calls for VAT cut

04-Jul-2011 By Michelle Perrett

British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has called on the UK government to consider dropping VAT to aid recovery, boost jobs, and help consumers.

Pub fined in TV footy case

03-Jun-2011 By Adam Pescod

The licensee of a Lancashire pub has been fined £4,320 for using a foreign TV channel to show live football matches to her customers. Julie Hanson,...

Pubs warned over AWP VAT rebates

02-Jun-2011 By Michelle Perrett

Licensees need to set aside their VAT rebates on amusement with prizes (AWP) machines, warns expert. A European Court of Justice case, scheduled for 30 June, could set a precedent allowing HMRC to appeal the refunds.

Video: Pub operators back VAT cut

01-Jun-2011 By Becky Paskin, Big Hospitality

Pub operators at the recent MA250 conference explain why they are supporting a cut in VAT for the pub industry.

Serve Legal to address Euro conference on underage drinking

13-Apr-2011 By Ewan Turney

Test purchasing company Serve Legal is to address a major European conference on tackling underage drinking today. Serve Legal will give a...

Licensee facing fifth prosecution for showing foreign satellite football

01-Mar-2011 By Matt Eley Matt

A licensee is facing her fifth prosecution for showing Premier League football through a foreign decoder - but her lawyer is confident of another...

Pub owners fined over foreign satellite football

10-Feb-2011 By James Wilmore

Magistrates yesterday rejected an application for a pub foreign satellite football case to be adjourned until the European Court of Justice (ECJ)...

Pub's soccer fine despite ECJ deliberations

10-Feb-2011 By John Harrington

Magistrates have refused to adjourn a prosecution for foreign satellite football screenings at a Humberside pub pending the European ruling.

Foreign satellite football: key questions answered

09-Feb-2011 By John Harrington

John Harrington reports on what the opinion of the EU advocate general last week means for pubs.

Wider impact of Murphy case

09-Feb-2011 By Peter Coulson

Morning Advertiser legal editor Peter Coulson considers what the general advocate's opinion on foreign satellite systems means.

Budweiser v Budweiser: Czech brewer takes another round

04-Feb-2011 By Ewan Turney

The latest round in the long running trademark dispute over use of the name Budweiser has gone the way of the Czech brewer.

Murphy case: boost for foreign satellite

04-Feb-2011 By Ewan Turney

The advocate general of the European Court of Justice has voiced support for the use of foreign satellite football systems, saying that the use of...

EU foreign satellite opinion backs Murphy and suppliers

03-Feb-2011 By James Wilmore

The battle over foreign satellite football has taken a dramatic twist, with an advocate general at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) saying decoder...