EUROCARE 4th European Alcohol Policy Conference Brussels, 21-22 June 2010 Dr Michel Craplet Chairman Eurocare Senior Medical Adviser ANPAA 1

EUROCARE

4th European Alcohol Policy Conference

Brussels, 21-22 June 2010

Dr Michel Craplet

Chairman EurocareSenior Medical Adviser ANPAA

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EUROCARE4th European Alcohol Policy Conference

Alcohol policy should be comprehensive in

• addressing health and social problems

• involving citizens from all Europe, young and old, rich and poor

• using legislation and education

• being aware of / and responsive to science and culture

Alcohol policy should face the challenge of complexity where

• more and more countries are involved,

• more and more actors are concerned.

The cultural dimension should reflect cultural diversities, as opposed to globalisation

The cultural dimension should be used in prevention


• Once upon a time, things were simple

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• Now, things are more complicated

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• Building European Union

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• Traditional Europe was divided in two dinking cultures - north and south -

• New Europe enlarged and changed with theintegration into the European Union of countries from Eastern Europe

- Western fringe of Europe

- Central Europe

- And exceptions like France (with the loi Evin and the warning label on the risk of drinking during pregnancy)


Europe is now a mosaic of drinking cultures.

Studying closely the drinking patterns,

we can also observe

- many differences inside each region

- and some similarities across Europe


• Alcohol trade in Europe


• Circulation of consumers and commodities

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• Health and alcohol in European treaties

• Maastricht treaty (articles 3, 95, 129) : “The activities of the Community should include … a contribution to the attainment of a high level of health protection.”

• Amsterdam treaty (article 152). • In both cases, however, the article 95 on the internal market should be

respected. Harmonization of legislations is authorized only to comfort the internal market (article 95)

• Lisbon treaty (article 152) : “The European Parliament and the Council… may also adopt… measures which have as their direct objective the protection of public health regarding tobacco and the abuse of alcohol, excluding any harmonization of the laws and regulations of the Member States.”

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European institutions results on alcohol policy

• Limitation of production of wines• Labelling of alcoholic degree content on every container• Resolution of European Council (29/05/1986) on alcohol abuse• Recommendation of European Council (5/06/2001) on consumption by young people• Conclusion of European Council (5/06/2001; renewed in 2004) on the necessity to

implement a strategy • Support of programs and conferences by the Commission • Decisions by the European Court of Justice

Loi Evin justified by the aim of protecting publicScandinavian monopolies accepted

• An incentive was given by the declaration of Parliament (signed by 201 members) on Alcopops and Designer Drinks in 1996 at the initiative of Eryl McNally, MEP.

• The Strategy on alcohol was adopted by the Commission in 2006, and in 2007, was set the Alcohol and Health Forum.

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Limits to the European work

• Political limits

• Institutional limitsSubsidiarity : The EU should only act if the aims can be

better achieved on a European level rather than a local or national one Proportionality : The EU should take care that the means

employed do not go beyond what is necessary to achieve the aim

• Methodological limitsLegislation cannot solve problems by itselfPrevention is a mix of control and education.

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• Difficulties, ambivalence, incoherence ?

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Documents

EUROCARE 4th European Alcohol Policy Conference Brussels, 21-22 June 2010 Dr Michel Craplet Chairman Eurocare Senior Medical Adviser ANPAA 1