European Commission Protecting teens from the impact of alcohol marketing: the EU Alcohol Strategy Dr. Pieter de Coninck Unit Health Determinants (C4) DG Health and Consumers European Commission Seminar “Under the Influence” Brussels, European Parliament 21 June 2011

European Commission 2 of 42 Council Recommendation alcohol and young people (2001)  Concerns about drinking trends among adolescents  Need for improved research of causes, nature and scale of the problems, caused by juvenile alcohol consumption  “Self-regulation of advertising for alcoholic beverages […] can play an important role with regard to the protection of children and adolescents from alcohol-related harm. Youth organisations could also make an important contribution in this context.”

European Commission 3 of 42 Council Recommendation alcohol and young people (2001) THEREFORE (i.a.):  MS should, together with economic operators and relevant NGOs, establish effective mechanisms to ensure that:  Producers do not produce alcoholic beverages specifically targeted at children and adolescents;  Alcoholic beverages are not designed or promoted to appeal to children and adolescents.

European Commission 4 of 42 Council Recommendation alcohol and young people (2001) THE COMMISSION INVITED (i.a.) to:  support the MS in their efforts to implement these recommendations, especially by collecting and providing and relevant comparable data  ensure in this context a continuous, constructive and structured dialogue with all interested parties  Make full use of all Community policies […] to address the matters covered in this recommendation.

European Commission 5 of 42 Council Conclusions of 5 June 2001 THE COMMISSION INVITED TO:  Put forward proposals for a comprehensive Community strategy aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm, which shall complement national policies and set out a timetable for the different actions.  24 October 2006: Commission Communication, “An EU strategy to support MS in reducing alcohol related harm”

European Commission 6 of 42 SANCO Round Table on Advertising Self-Regulation  Convened in under chairmanship of DG SANCO  Participants included among others the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA), Eurocare, and the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)  July 2006: “Self-Regulation in the EU Advertising Sector: A report of some discussion among interested parties”

European Commission 7 of 42 Defining a best practice model in advertising S-R  Effectiveness: establishing and publishing performance objectives, good procedures for submitting and handling of complaints, setting standards for training advertising staff, effective sanctions for non-compliance  Independence: openness and transparency, effective contribution of other stakeholders, adjudication bodies should be composed of a substantial proportion of independent persons  Coverage: not only ‘pure advertising’ but all other form of marketing communication, monitoring new trends (“e.g. buzz marketing”) that may escape SR  Funding: strong political support for industry voluntary funding is desirable

European Commission 8 of 42 EU Alcohol Strategy  “A comprehensive strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm in Europe until the end of 2012”  No intention “to propose the development of harmonised legislation in the field of the prevention of alcohol-related harm”  No intention “to substitute Community action to national policies”  Five priority themes, which are relevant in all MS and for which Community action in complement to national policies and coordination of national actions has an added value

European Commission 9 of 42 § of EU Alcohol Strategy: Commercial communication  Certain aspects already regulated by Community law  In addition: increasing clarity regarding S-R best practice  Commission services will work with stakeholders to create sustained momentum for cooperation on responsible marketing and sales  Aim is to support EU and MS actions to prevent irresponsible marketing

European Commission 10 of 42 Implementing the EU Alcohol Strategy  Work across EU policies  Cooperation with Member States  Platform to mobilise action by stakeholders European Alcohol and Health Forum Committee on National Alcohol Policy and Action Member States Work across other policies ▪transport ▪youth ▪information society ▪research ▪employment ▪taxation ▪dedicated committee Alcohol data collection ▪cooperation with WHO EU Health Programme Science Group Plenary meetings Task Forces Open Forum ▪tendered studies ▪conferences ▪projects

European Commission 11 of 42 EAHF Task Force on Marketing Communication Tasks as defined in Forum Charter:  Examine best practice actions aimed at promoting responsibility in marketing, and preventing irresponsible marketing;  Examine and build upon the report of the SANCO Advertising Round Table;  Examine trends in product development, product placement, sales promotions and other forms of marketing, and trends in alcohol advertising and sponsorship;  Make any appropriate recommendations to the Forum.

European Commission 12 of 42 Results  Six meetings between December 2007 and June 2009  Three mapping reports prepared by the Institute of Social Marketing (ISM), a collaboration between the University of Stirling and the Open University:  Self-Regulation  Targeting Youth  Social Marketing  Special workshop in Stockholm on 22 September 2009  Chair’s report to EAHF plenary in November 2009

European Commission 13 of opinion of the EAHF Science Group  “Does marketing communication impact on the volume and patterns of consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially by young people? - a review of longitudinal studies”  Based on review of 13 longitudinal studies the SG concluded “that alcohol marketing increases the likelihood that adolescents will start to use alcohol and to drink more if they are already using alcohol.”  “When reading this scientific opinion, it should be remembered that only a small part of the marketing mix has been analysed and reported.”

European Commission 14 of 42 Other relevant activities  About 50 Forum commitments  Work of the Marketing Task Force discussed in Forum plenary meetings  Recent progress: voluntary codes being extended to alcohol marketing in digital space  Funding of projects under the EU Health Programme: ELSA, AMMIE and FASE  Projects funded under EU Framework Programmes: AMPHORA and ALICE RAP

European Commission 15 of 42 Legislative developments in Member States  Restricting alcohol advertising on television is receiving much attention as a means of protecting children.  To this end in 2007, 2008, and 2009 “watersheds” have been introduced in respectively Finland, Lithuania, and the Netherlands.  In all MS a mixture of statutory and voluntary regulations.

European Commission 16 of 42 Upcoming studies  Update of the 2009 Self-Regulation mapping report  Tendered study “An EU-wide overview of the market and regulation regarding types of alcoholic beverages with potentially particular appeal to minors”  Tendered “Further study on the affordability of alcoholic beverages in the EU”  Tendered study “An assessment of young people’s exposure to alcohol marketing in audiovisual and online media”

European Commission 17 of 42 2 nd Report on progress planned for 2012 Information sources:  Independent evaluation of the implementation  European Alcohol and Health Forum process  Cooperation with Member States  Joint EC/WHO survey addressed to MS in 2011  trends in alcohol consumption and harm  development of policies and measures  Internal reporting, including by other DGs  Further relevant sources

European Commission 18 of 42 2 nd Report on progress planned for 2012 Information sources:  Independent evaluation of the implementation  European Alcohol and Health Forum process  Cooperation with Member States  Joint EC/WHO survey addressed to MS in 2011  trends in alcohol consumption and harm  development of policies and measures  Internal reporting, including by other DGs  Further relevant sources

European Commission 19 of 42 Evaluation of implementation structures and processes  Spring 2011  Call for tender under existing framework contract  Setting up steering groups  In 2012  Preliminary findings for discussion  Final report from contractor European Alcohol and Health Forum Committee on National Alcohol Policy and Action Assess the Forum as a structure for implementing the EU Alcohol Strategy and its added value in stimulating concrete stakeholder- driven actions. Assess the CNAPA as a structure for implementing the EU Alcohol Strategy, in particular through the coordination of national alcohol policies.

European Commission 20 of 42 Next steps 2009 Council Conclusions on Alcohol and Health, inviting the Commission i.a. to:  “report to the Council, in 2012 at the latest, on the progress and outcome of the Commission’s work and on activities reported by Member States”;  “define priorities for the next phase of the Commission’s work on alcohol and health after the end of the current strategy”;  “consider, when appropriate, further steps to protect children, adolescents and young people from […] exposure to alcohol marketing

European Commission 21 of 42 Next steps However, before considering the next phase it is essential to have available the 2 nd progress report and the results of the evaluation.

European Commission 22 of 42 Further information DG Health & Consumers website   ndex_en.htm ndex_en.htm EU Public Health Portal 