1. Brussels 17 March 2011 Michael Hübel European Commission Health & Consumers DG What is not on the bottle Commission input

2. Labelling Ingredients? Energy content? Warning labels? Unit size? Regulatory/voluntary?

3. Consumer labelling of alcoholic beverages Regulation at EU level Regulations on labelling foodstuffs 1) - inform and protect consumers Regulations specific to alcoholic beverages 2) - inform consumers, protect interests of manufacturers Voluntary labelling initiatives 1.2000/13/EC 2.Spirits: EC 110/2008; aromatized wines: EEC 1601/91, EEC 122/94; wines: 1493/1999/CE, 2002/753/CE, EC 316/2004, EC 479/2008, EC 491/2009, EC 607/2009

4. EU Alcohol and Health Strategy five priority themes Protect young people children and unborn child Reduce injuries and death from alcohol related accidents Alcohol related harm at workplace Inform educate and raise awareness on the impact of harmful hazardous alcohol consumption Develop and maintain a common evidence base at ET

5. EU Alcohol and Health Forum- Voluntary warnings – some examples Pregnancy-related risks Pernod-Ricard 2006 Implementation by 2008 Pregnancy, drink driving and sales to underage SABMiller, 2008 revised policy on commercial communication

6. National warning and information initiatives France 2007 pregnancy-related risks Germany 2004 age limit for “alcopops” UK Government/industry voluntary agreement 2007 Units Lower-risk guidelines Pregnancy-related risks

7. Opportunities for further voluntary action? Alcohol units: units / grams / centilitres? UK “unit” = 8g Danish “genstand” = 12g Austrian “Standardglas” = 20g Depending on outcome of food information discussion: Energy content: kcal or kJ in standard amount Specific ingredients in alcoholic energy drinks or mixers

8. Opportunities for further voluntary action? More information on pregnancy-related risks Across the EU Across all products Better visibility More information content Alerting to risk Risks of accidents and injuries Drink-driving Work, sports etc. – rotating warnings Risks of mixing with certain medications To increase reach and impact: similar warnings in Retail shops, pubs, bars and other alcohol outlets

9. Context of the review Simplification and modernisation Informed choices – safe, healthy diet Making the labels efficient what information is needed and used? how should it be presented? Protection of the internal market COMMISSION PROPOSAL FOR A REGULATION ON THE PROVISION OF FOOD INFORMATION TO CONSUMERS (COM(2008) 40 FINAL)

10. Some of the targeted Issues Simplification General principles Legibility of label Non-prepacked food Origin labelling Alcoholic beverages Nutrition information

11. Legibility – Commission proposal Minimum font size of 3mm Significant contrast between print and background Voluntary information not to be displayed to the detriment of the space available for mandatory information Exemption from minimum font size for packs with a largest surface of <10cm 2

12. First Reading Opinions - legibility EP (June 2010)COUNCIL (February 2011) Deletes requirements for a minimum font size Maintain principle of a minimum font size Introduces a definition of legibility Introduces criteria to determine the minimum font size Requires the Commission to adopt Guidelines on legibility Other aspects of legibility to be identified

13. Coverage of Alcoholic beverages – Commission proposal Alcoholic drinks, including ready to drink mixtures, to include full ingredient list and nutrition information Derogations for beer, wine and spirits pending a review by the Commission to determine suitable labelling of these foods after 5 years of the entry into force of the Regulation

14. EP first reading opinion – alcoholic beverages Excludes all alcoholic beverages from: ingredient list and nutrition information Council first reading position – alcoholic beverages Extends the Commission’s proposed list of exemptions of alcoholic drinks to competitive products (e.g. cider, mead)

15. Next steps Codecision procedure - Adoption by European Parliament and the Council Transition 3 years after the entry into force Commission report on alcohol labelling after 5 years

16. Further info DG Health & Consumers website http://ec.europa.eu/health http://ec.europa.eu/health/alcohol/policy/index_en.htm EU Information System on Alcohol and Health http://apps.who.int/globalatlas/default.asp EU Public Health Portal http://health.europa.eu