1. The Swedish presidency in support of a sustainable EU Alcohol Strategy
Karin Nilsson Kelly
Ministry of Health and Social Affairs
Sweden

2. Why keep alcohol high on the EU and global agenda?
Estimated to cause about 2.3 million premature deaths worldwide
In the EU deaths a year
55 million adults are estimated to drink at harmful levels

3. Why?
Harmful alcohol use is a cause of some 60 different diseases and conditions
Exposure to alcohol during pregnancy can impair babies’ brain development
Young people’s drinking habits are becoming more harmful

4. Why Excessive alcohol consumption harms not just the drinker
6-12 % children in families with alcohol related problems
Accidents on roads and at workplaces
Violence and crime
Increases inequality in health

5. 2009, an important year for alcohol policy at EU and Global level
High priority during the Swedish EU Presidency
WHO works to present a draft global strategy
First Global Expert Meeting on Alcohol, Health and Social Development in Stockholm 23 September

6. Our main objectives: To keep the alcohol issue high on the EU agenda
To increase Member States long term support of the Alcohol Strategy
To support the implementation
To ensure Stakeholders support

7. Three major events during the Swedish Presidency 2009
The Informal Ministerial Meeting 6-7 July in Jönköping,
Expert Meeting on Alcohol and Health
21-22 September, Stockholm
EPSCO November – aming at Council Conclusion

8. The Presidency Expert Meeting
Special focus on
Protection of Children and young people
Commercial communication
Harmful alcohol use – a threat to a dignified and healthy ageing?
Price and Affordability
Parallell Program – NGO’s and EU networks

9. Children at risk Alcohol consumption and pregnancy
What do we know about FAS/FASD
Children in families with alcohol problems
What can be done at EU level

10. Commercial Communication
Update on new developments
Longerm exposure of advertising of alcoholic beverages
Social Marketing
Regulation or Self Regulation?
The role of Economic Operators

11. Alcohol and Elderly
The impact of harmful use of alcohol on ageing people
Ongoing EU projects and in MS
A possible future scenario

12. Price and Affordability
Purchasing power Alcohol and Injuries
Minimum Pricing – a new price policy measure?
Costs and Economic benefits
Price and Excise Duty differences – threat to public health policy?

13. Parallell Program In cooperation with NGO’s on national and EU level
Exibition, seminairs and study visits
Interaction between programs

14. Global Expert Meeting 23 of September, Stockholm, Sweden
Focus on
Harmful use of alcohol’s role in social development and its contribution to spreading of infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, TB, Pneumonia)
Organized by the Swedish health Minstry in collaboration with WHO SIDA (Swedish International Development cooperation Agency) and the Norwegian Health Ministry

15. Thank you!
Contact information:

16. The informal Ministerial Meeting
Focus on Commercial Communication
in particular new channels, new products and features attractive to young people.
The development since 2001

17. How?
target important “drivers” of alcohol related health and social harms,
Special focus on protection of young people and the unborn child

18. Sustained and long-term prevention needed
More and more a cross-border issue
EU network been a good platform for exchange of data, research and good practises
DG SANCO first report 2009

19. Main objectives… To ensure Stakeholders support
To strengthen assessment, the knowledge base and the implementation of common indicators