Tag: alcohol

The Scottish high court ruled on Friday (3 May) that the government has the right to introduce a legally binding minimum price on alcohol, the first of its kind in the EU. The spirits industry says it will appeal the court ruling.

Europeans have the highest per-capita consumption of alcohol, and drinking causes nearly 1-in-10 cases of ill health and premature death. The European Commission’s informal alcohol strategy, launched in 2006, is set for a detailed evaluation in 2013, with the policy objective of reducing the health and social harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

Prohibitive prices of cigarettes and alcohol encourage smuggling, according to participants at a recent conference in Warsaw on smuggling across the EU's eastern border. EurActiv Poland reports.

Under pressure from the European Commission, the Czech Republic yesterday (20 September) banned hard liquor exports after more than 20 deaths were linked to bootleg vodka and rum sales from the country.

The European Parliament has renewed calls to curb food and beverage advertising aimed at children and young people, with some MEPs even calling for a total ban on beer commercials aimed at youth. But it's not necessary, says the industry, "We can regulate ourselves".

The chief of strategy at the European Commission's health and consumer protection directorate (DG Sanco) tells EurActiv that the forthcoming overhaul of its alcohol strategy will probably not come before the end of the year, but it will be on the agenda of the Cypriot presidency.

Leading producers from the beer, wine and spirits sectors are set today (16 April) to launch their first joint initiative in advertising self-regulation designed to combat abuses across the fast-growing social media.

The European Commission is more favourable to raising taxes on alcohol over setting a minimum price level following intense debate in Britain over Prime Minister David Cameron's proposed crackdown on binge drinking, a Commission official told EurActiv.

Alcohol consumption among young people increases as a result of advertising campaigns and the EU should promote more responsible marketing, stakeholders agreed this week. But responsibility for dealing with the issue lies with member states and the European Commission has no intention of harmonising legislation in this regard. 

The Swedish health ministry has rubbished claims by Europe's beer industry that the country's alcohol policy has led to increased consumption and boosted illegal trade.

A group of leading European health experts have called for a Europe-wide ban on alcohol advertising that appeals to children and adolescents.

Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said she was impressed by industry's voluntary commitments in the EU Alcohol and Health Forum but promised to follow their implementation in 2009 as 'committing to action is one thing and delivering another'.

Daily exercise, moderate alcohol consumption and sufficient fruit and vegetable intake are known to be good for health, but researchers have now discovered that their combined effect can actually add up to 14 years to life expectancy compared to those who fail to adopt these behaviours.

EU agriculture ministers have reached agreement on the new Spirit Drinks regulation, answering the thorny question of what can be labelled 'vodka' in a vote which has left traditional producers such as Poland "frustrated" with large producers in the UK.

The European Parliament rejected calls from its own Health Committee to introduce standardised EU-wide health warnings on alcoholic drinks, as is currently the case on tobacco products, in what some MEPs denounced as 'strong lobbying' from alcohol producers.

The Commission plans to abolish ineffective subsidies for surplus wine production in a bid to make EU producers more competitive. As a sweetener, Brussels proposes to put its current €1.3 billion budget to help wine producers change activity and help promote EU wine across the world.

The Parliament has rejected the Commission's proposal to increase the EU-wide minimum levels of excise duty on alcoholic drinks, referring back to the Parliament's Economic Affairs Committee.

Scientists call for a more rational debate about the relative risks posed by drugs as a study shows that alcohol and tobacco cause more physical and social harm than some illicit substances.

MEPs believe that a compromise with the Council is at hand after a vote by the European Parliament's lead committee on spirit labelling, which allows for vodka to be made from non-traditional ingredients. 

European Court rules that only alcohol transported personally is exempt from excise duties in member state of importation.

The EU is set to lodge a formal complaint to the World Trade Organization against India, in an effort to prise open a growing market for spirits and wine.

To the disappointment of health NGOs and the relief of the alcohol industry, the EU's strategy will not include further advertising restrictions or warning labels.

Those who adopted healthy life as one of the key performance indicators for Lisbon understood that there is a business case for healthy citizens, explains Robert Madelin.

Smoking, drinking, bad nutritional habits and lack of physical activity are life-style related health determinants linked to a number of major health problems, such as cancer, cardio-vascular disease and obesity.