Alcohol policy issues in the EU

1
Alcohol policy issues in the EU

• Brussels, 9 June 2006

2
2006 will be a critical year

• Report from Commission to Council on national
  implementation of 2001 measures on young people

3
New Audio-Visual Directive to replace TVwF

• Publication of the Alcohol in Europe report (1
  June)
• EU Strategy on alcohol (September)
• Review of excise duties on alcohol
• Reform of the CMO in wine

4

• Alcohol is a European problem.
• We produce and export a large proportion of the
  worlds alcohol.
• We consume twice as much as the rest of the world
  and have related high levels of harm.
• European drinking patterns are converging. Policy
  differences between North and South, East and
  West are getting smaller.

5
The reality of alcohol and health

• In addition to being an addictive drug, alcohol
  is a cause of some 60 different types of diseases
  and conditions, including injuries, mental and
  behavioural disorders, gastrointestinal
  conditions, cancers, cardiovascular diseases,
  immunological disorders, lung diseases, skeletal
  and muscular diseases, reproductive disorders and
  pre-natal harm, including an increased risk of
  prematurity and low birth weight.

6
A strong concern about youth

• Council Conclusions and Recommendations (2001)
  specifically addressed young people. All
  countries to take action and Commission to report
  on progress about
• Early onset of drinking
• Minimum serving age
• Advertising and marketing products that appeal
  to young people, e.g alco-pops
• Drinking patterns e.g binging

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But finding the right way to reach young people
can be a challenge
8
Reform of the Wine Sector

• The EU is the world's biggest producer, consumer,
  exporter and importer of wine.
• The EU has 45 of the worlds vineyard land.
  Every year it spends 1.3 billion euros a year
  subsidising the wine sector including 14 million
  euros on marketing and promotion of wines and 500
  million Euros on crisis distillation turning
  surplus wine into industrial alcohol and biofuels
  .
• There has been consistent overproduction, much of
  which is poor quality table wine. The surplus
  wine lake is now estimated at 1.5bn litres, or
  enough for every European Union citizen to take
  roughly four free bottles each.
• The wine sector was last reformed in 1999. It is
  likely to include cash incentives for winemakers
  to abandon land, permanently digging up vines
  ("grubbing up).

9
Drink-driving moving up the agenda

• Road Safety Action Plan to cut accidents by 50
  by 2010
• Tightening the BAC levels
• Random breath testing
• Withdrawal of licenses and stronger penalties
• Use of IT tools and new technology to update
  vehicle design

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Smuggling, tax fraud and illicit drink

• Organised crime is involved in trafficking drugs,
  cigarettes, alcohol, weapons, money and people.
• In 1996 it was estimated that approximately 1.5bn
  Euros was lost to alcohol fraud in the EU 15.
• The problem is both internal and external
  borders. Time for cooperation between police
  forces and customs authorities.

11
Travellers allowances a perk of travel in Europe?

• Allowances for alcohol are excessive compared to
  other excise products. (800 cigarettes, 10 litres
  of diesel or 230 litres of alcohol)
• A European Commission report shows big
  differences in alcohol taxation levels but no
  political will to act.
• Many European countries experience problems so
  there is a need to build consensus.

12
Knock, knock

• Sales of alcohol over the internet have raised
  concerns in the US and Europe. Particular concern
  about whether there will be age-checks for
  underage drinking.
• The ECJ will rule on specific cases e.g.
  Rosengren

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EU alcohol strategy

• Mandate is Art 152. Invited by Council to report
  on actions to reduce ARH (strategy) and
  implementation of 2001 Council recommendations.
  Case for action is the 60 diseases linked to
  alcohol, economic cost of productivity and
  absenteeism, social reasons and impact on third
  parties. What is it doing? Co-financing projects,
  Alcohol and Europe report (publication date 1
  June), report on 2001 Council Recommendations.
  Emerging EU and MS consensus on..
• Protection of young people no sales to
  underage. Better enforcement of laws. No
  marketing targeting them and supporting effective
  interventions for them
• Drink-driving better enforcement, random breath
  testing, license suspensions, awareness raising,
  reducing the BAC for young/novice drivers,
  treatment for repeated DUI
• Protection of 3 parties awareness raising on
  impact during pregnancy, support for kids in
  families affected by drinking problems
• Preventing ARH in adults brief treatment and
  interventions, responsible beverage service,
  active enforcement of existing legislation
• Cross-cultural evidence common knowledge basis,
  quality data and research at MS level, exchange
  of best practice
• Awareness raising on alcohol impact eg with
  consumer policy and better information especially
  labelling, education but not in isolation
• Also the Communication on reform of the Common
  Market Organisation in the wine sector (2006).
  Info point on June Council on status of work on
  alcohol. FI Presidency has asked for Strategy on
  the agenda in their Presidency

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WHO Euro alcohol strategy (09/05)

• An overarching framework and continuity of
  existing WHO documents and tools, has a strong
  procedural structure to support implementation,
  lists evidence based policies, lists new
  challenges. The WHO 1992 european alcohol action
  plan had clear targets and mentioned actors, all
  still valid (eg not achieved) but the 2005
  document is more of a discussion policy on
  effective policies and on topics important for
  alcohol policy considerations.
• Key guidance
• - alcohol, trade and public health
• - possible health benefits in alcohol policy
  formulation
• - role of industry in policy formulation,
  research and implementation
• - cultural sensitivity and regional integration
• - relation to tobacco
• Follow-up will have a follow up progress report
  every third year, also triennial high level forum
  on alcohol policy to discuss the report and
  deliberate on controversial or challenging
  issues. Next steps Will have a Regional Adviser
  on alcohol, Create an expert group (esp research)
  Meeting of national counterparts (annually).

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Getting Europe back on track

• The building blocks of policy-making
• Evidence
• Awareness
• Engagement
• Commitment
• Decision
• Action
• Monitoring