Policy on alcohol in Europe Source: EUROCARE project EUROCHIP-2 – Prevention domain Group of specialist Basel, 10 th -11 th November 2005

Trends in pure alcohol consumption per capita (15 +) Source: WHO, Health For All, 2004

Trends in pure alcohol consumption per capita (15 +) Source: WHO, Health For All, 2004

EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION allcommunication toolsUsing all available communication tools educationAccess to effective and comprehensive school, college and university-based education Public awarenessPublic awareness on the health risks information onalcohol industryPublic access, in accordance with national law, to a wide range of information on the commercial alcohol industry trainingEffective and appropriate training or sensitization and awareness programmes on alcohol policy to health workers, community workers, social workers, media professionals, educators, decision-makers, ecc nongovernmental organizationsParticipation of public and private agencies and nongovernmental organizations not affiliated with the commercial alcohol industry in developing and implementing intersectoral programmes and strategies for alcohol policy Source: EUROCARE project

ALCOHOL PRODUCT PACKAGING AND LABELLING… misleadingshould not promote a product by any means that are misleading, deceptive or likely to create an erroneous impression about its characteristics or health effects to minors 18should not promote a product by any term, descriptor, trademark, figurative or any other sign that directly or indirectly appeals to minors 18 warningsshould carry warnings determined by ministries of health, describing the harmful effects of alcohol when driving or operating machinery, and during pregnancy or other appropriate messages determined by ministries of health alcohol concentrationshould, in addition to health warnings, contain information on its alcohol concentration (% by volume), alcohol content (grams of alcohol), calorific value and ingredients that might lead to allergies Source: EUROCARE project

PRICE AND TAX external costsThe price should take into account the external costs of consumption (the harm done by alcohol and dependence) proportional to the alcoholic contentTaxes should be proportional to the alcoholic content of alcoholic beverages, including all beverage types taxes to deal with specific problemsCountries should retain the flexibility to use taxes to deal with specific problems that may arise with specific alcoholic beverages, such as designer drinks aimed at young people Taxes should be increased throughout Europe up to a minimum levelTaxes should be increased throughout Europe up to a minimum level. Countries with higher taxation should not reduce their taxation levels A proportion of alcohol taxes can be earmarked (hypothecated tax) to fund programmes to reduce the harm done by alcohol Source: EUROCARE project

SALES TO MINORS should be prohibitedThe sales to persons under the age set by domestic law, national law or eighteen years, should be prohibited clear and prominent indicator inside their point of saleAll sellers of alcoholic products should place a clear and prominent indicator inside their point of sale about the prohibition of alcohol sales to minors supermarkets section clearly separatedWithin supermarkets and other general retail stores, alcoholic products should be placed in a section clearly separated from the sale of other products that might appeal to minors, such as sweets, snacks, toys … PenaltiesPenalties against sellers and distributors, such as withdrawal of license or temporary and permanent closures, in order to ensure compliance with relevant measures Source: EUROCARE project

ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP minorsProhibition of advertising, promotion and sponsorship that promote an alcoholic product to minors health warningsAppropriate health warnings or safety messages should accompany all advertising sales promotionsProhibition of sales promotions Article 15Article 15 of the Television Without Frontiers Directive should be enforced in all Member States. Art. 15 should be strengthened by adding time limits, programme limits, and limits on concentration of alcohol advertising information about the product onlyAll alcohol advertising on radio, television, print media should be restricted to information about the product only, with messages/images only referring to the origin, means of production, composition, and consumption patterns Source: EUROCARE project

1)Problem: in various countries the price of beer is cheaper than the price of juices 2)Problem for young people: alcohol Pops (Bacardi breezer) 3)Consider recommendations from UICC prevention book 4)Alcohol laws for traffic regulation (blood content). Do current statistics exist? 5)Prohibition is not the solution 6)Recommendations to MG: collection of comparable data 7)Put the attention in intra-country differences 8)Studying the impact of price increase. Price policy offices could provide data. 9)Awareness on health consequences and on quantity of alcohol in each drink-unit 10)Recommend the diffusion of EUROCARE suggestions 11)Underline that in some situations consumption increases DISCUSSION