(1)This section applies if—
(a)a person who produces alcoholic products on group premises which are included in a post-merger production group (the “first post-merger group”) becomes connected with another person who produces alcoholic products (that are not exempt from duty under any of sections 72, 76 or 77), and
(b)the producers mentioned in paragraph (a) become connected with one another in Year 1, 2 or 3 in relation to the first post-merger group.
(2)Neither the production year in which the producers mentioned in subsection (1)(a) become connected with one another, nor any subsequent year, is a merger transition year in relation to the first post-merger group.
(3)But subsection (2) does not prevent the application of sections 61 to 67 in relation to the post-merger production group that includes both of the producers mentioned in subsection (1)(a).