The main themes
While the paper makes clear that the European Commission do not intend to develop EU legislation in the field of the prevention of alcohol related harm, the European Commission has identified the following five priorities:
to protect young people and children;
reduce injuries and deaths from alcohol-related road accidents;
prevent harm among adults and reduce the negative impact on the economy;
raise awareness of the impact on health of harmful alcohol consumption;
and help gather reliable statistics.
The main actions of the Strategy at EU level
For each theme, the European Commission has identified areas where the EU can support Member State activities. They also map actions at national level and propose to put in place European mechanisms:
Setting up a Alcohol and Health Forum on the model of the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and health. The Forum would support, input and monitor the implementation of the Strategy. The participants would include different stakeholder organisations, Member States, other EU institutions;
Improving the coordination between the Public Health Programme and the Action Plan on Road Safety with regard to drink-driving and road safety actions;
Working with stakeholders towards presenting a model of ’responsible consumption of alcohol’ and a code of commercial communication. The impact of self-regulatory codes on young people’s drinking will also be monitored.
The Strategy predominately promotes an education approach to combat Alcohol related harm which has be proven not to be effective instead of the proven best practice strategies such as better regulation of the product and its marketing.
- Combating alcohol-related harm in Europe - evidence of effective and cost-effective measures
WHO Euro region agrees a resolution on alcohol-related harm
What are the most effective and cost-effective interventions in alcohol control? - WHO Health Evidence Network report, 2004
Reactions from NGOs
Although the Strategy is very weak, Eurocare welcomes the strategy and announces that it will continue to support DG SANCO in its efforts to reduce the harm done by alcohol in Europe.
Eurocare also regrets that despite the efforts of the European Health Community and DG SANCO to protect the health and wellbeing of European citizens, in the end, the alcohol industry and other parts of the commission have ensured that the strategy reflects the undue influence of the alcohol industry, which has been responsible for one of the most intensive lobbying campaigns ever known in regard to public health policy.
According to dr Peter Anderson, author of the Alcohol in Europe report, "The alcohol industry has lobbied to put their own profits above the needs of the European people, with commission officials other than those directly involved with health issues surrendering to its pressure".
He said the proposed EU alcohol policy is "much weaker than the first draft and has a much greater focus on education as the answer to solving the problems of alcohol, when the evidence shows that it does not work “. He regrets that measures that could have made a real difference such as a “better regulation of the product and its marketing”, were no longer in the text of the Communication.
About the way the industry has lobbied and misrepresented the strategy, Andrew McNeill, Honorary Secretary of Eurocare said “We regret to see the industry’s paw prints are all over the Communication”, and added “Given that the industry has made it abundantly clear that it is opposed to the whole idea of a public health strategy on alcohol, how can it possibly be seen as a main collaborator in implementing it”.
Eurocare press release attached
EU Alcohol Strategy: People or profits - Who’s being served? - Eurocare press release
Council Conclusions of the 01 12 2006
The Ministers of Health of the 25 Members States welcomed the Strategy as a major step to combat alcohol related harm. They also welcome the envisaged priorities and actions.
According to the Council, the primary aim of alcohol-related policies should be to reduce alcohol-related harm, which would increase productivity and competitiveness, hence contributing to the Lisbon Agenda
The Council also takes note of various rulings from the European Court of Justice which underline public health as an interest protected by article 30 of the Treaty.
The Council also acknowledges several alcohol-related damages: on injuries, domestic abuse, street disorder, violence, social exclusion, foetal damage, suffering by family members, third party deaths, traffic accidents and lost productivity at work.
They also conclude that every stakeholder shall take a role in alcohol harm prevention, including the alcoholic beverages production, retailing and hospitality sectors by “adhering to national regulations and by ensuring that high ethical standards are met especially in the development and marketing of alcoholic products appealing to children and young people, and by ensuring responsible sales and serving of alcohol beverages in order to prevent binge drinking- and harm from intoxication”.
They invite the European Commission to carry on working on the matter, supporting Member States in developing coordinated national policies. Above all, they require the European Commission to ensure a balanced representation of the various stakeholders in the forthcoming Alcohol and Health Forum.
Member States are called upon to develop a multi sectoral approach to alcohol prevention, as well as strengthening their national policies on the matter. The collection of comparable information is also highlighted.
European Parliament Conclusions - 5 September 2007
The members of the European Parliament adopted the amended Foglietta report on the EU alcohol strategy.
EPHA welcomes that the rapporteur highlighted some of the important issues related to the harmful effects of alcohol:
high level of youth mortality in relation to traffic accidents
foetal alcohol syndrome
increasing alcohol addiction amongst young people.
Hakon Riegels of Eurocare, also welcomed the report and said: "We are glad to see the support of the Parliament to the strategy proposed by the Commission.
Nevertheless, he stressed Eurocare’s disappointment with:
the rejection of the calls for health warning labels (especially concerning pregnant women)
the failure to adopt measures aimed at restricting the exposure of minors to alcohol advertising
the strong support for self regulation which has proved to be quite ineffective."
Eurocare mentioned a number of MEP’s echoed a concern regarding the agressive lobbying of the alcohol industry. Attached: Eurocare Press Release September 2007
Some reactions of the plenary session: The Greens/EFA would prefer a bolder strategy. They were disappointed that the two big groups did not want to follow the advice of the health Committee.
According to the WHO, the EU could save 95 billion euros annually with warning labels!
On warning labels, Commissioner Kyprianou said that the commission would study the experience of Member States already using them.He mentioned the European alcohol and health forum as a place where concrete action will be developed.
Related information:
Eurocare Briefing: Five Facts about Alcohol and Health
New European Rate for Alcohol Duties?
Advertising of Alcohol on TV - The revision of the TV without Frontiers
