EU Committee on Home Affairs, Health and Education report: A new EU Alcohol Strategy? Summary report Katherine Brown, Director, Institute of Alcohol Studies Prepared for Eurocare General Assembly, London, 2015

2nd chamber of UK Parliament, independent from House of Commons Both chambers must consider bills before they can become law EU Committee – scrutinises UK government policy and seeks to influence policy at EU level The House of Lords is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. It is independent from, and complements the work of, the elected House of Commons. The Lords shares the task of making and shaping laws and checking and challenging the work of the government. Members use their extensive individual experience to investigate public policy. Much of this work is done in select committees - small groups appointed to consider specific policy areas. The European Union Committee of the House of Lords scrutinises the UK Government’s policies and actions in respect of the EU; considers and seeks to influence the development of policies and draft laws proposed by the EU institutions; and more generally represents the House of Lords in its dealings with the EU institutions and other Member States.

Lords EU Committee Inquiry: Scope “The [EU Alcohol] Strategy was given an end date of 2012. The Commission has done nothing to renew or replace it. In this inquiry we have been looking at what has been achieved, and what should come next.” Who gave evidence? NGOs Researchers Civil servants Politicians Alcohol industry/trade representatives Pharmaceutical representatives

Key finding 1: Need to focus on EU added value “The 2006-12 strategy, while well-intentioned, did not concentrate on what the EU itself can act on. Consequently it achieved little. In developing any new action the EU should therefore concentrate on what it can do, over and above any initiatives the Member States can take on their own. In particular, the EU should ensure that its own policies contribute to the reduction of alcohol-related harm and excessive drinking.”

Key finding 2: EU alcohol tax reform “The current EU alcohol taxation regime prevents Member States from raising duties on the most harmful substances, and provides incentives to purchase drinks with higher alcohol contents. This illogical taxation structure must be reformed.”

Key finding 3: Mandatory alcohol labelling “The EU rules of food labelling must be amended to include alcoholic drinks. These labels should include, as a minimum, the strength, the calorie content, guidelines on safe drinking levels, and a warning about the dangers of drinking when pregnant. Voluntary commitments are not enough.”

Additional findings: The uncertain mandate of the EU-level bodies set up under the Strategy should be clarified: EUAHF/CNAPA need clear mandate & workplan If minimum pricing is deemed legal, and it reduces harm in Scotland, the UK Government should introduce it in England & Wales. Much disagreement and lack of trust between public health professionals and the alcohol industry about evidence: researchers be independent and distanced from policymakers.

Next steps “The Latvian Presidency intends to discuss the next steps towards a new EU Alcohol Strategy at an informal Council on 20-21 April 2015. We hope that our recommendations will assist the deliberations of the Member States, and that they will invite the Commission to proceed on the lines we have suggested.” At Riga Health Council, ALL Member States called for a new EU Alcohol Strategy, and Latvian Presidency sent a letter to Commission reiterating the point

But… Commissioner Andriukaitis announced at EUAHF meeting 18/05/15 that there are no plans for a new EU Alcohol Strategy… Alcohol will be incorporated into a broad NCD ‘framework’

Additional ammunition: OECD report

click here and cross fingers OECD: Key findings click here and cross fingers

OECD: Key findings (in case of technical hiccup!) Average per capita consumption 9.1 litres Majority alcohol drunk by heaviest-drinking 20% of the population Rates of hazardous and heavy episodic (“binge”) in young people, especially women, have increased Children (U-15) drinking more: Proportion who have not yet drunk alcohol shrank from 44% to 30% of boys and from 50% to 31% of girls during the 2000s. Proportion who have experienced drunkenness increased from 30% to 43% (boys) and from 26% to 41% (girls) in the same period. Better educated and higher SES more likely to drink Less educated and lower SES men, & more educated higher SES women more likely to indulge in risky drinking.

OECD policy findings (in case of technical hiccup!) Governments seeking to tackle binge drinking and other types of alcohol abuse can use a range of policies that have proven to be effective, including: treating heavy drinkers, raising prices, increased regulation of alcohol marketing Increased enforcement of drink drive laws.

Thank you for listening! Any questions? kbrown@ias.org.uk