What Eurocare does
Based in Brussels, EUROCARE is an alliance of Member organisations committed to the prevention of Alcohol related Harm in Europe.
To achieve its objectives, EUROCARE works to:
1. Create and nurture ties between organizations concerned with alcohol related harm:
starting with 9 member organizations, Eurocare now has 56 member organisations in 26 European countries, including central and eastern Europe. It also maintains close ties with other organisations in Europe and the world. Eurocare actively fosters cooperation among members and between the members and other non-governmental organizations working in the field of advocacy for the prevention of alcohol related harm.
Efforts in this direction include:
- Holding an annual general meeting for members, where experts in all disciplines concerned with alcohol related harm report on current campaigns at country level
- Establishing, where possible, common ground and purpose amongst its members
- Fostering among its members an understanding of social, cultural, economic and political responses to the use of alcohol throughout Europe.
- Facilitating the collection, collation, analysis, dissemination and utilisation of data on alcohol consumption and related harm within the EU and other countries.
- Stimulating a wide range of alcohol education and training programmes for special target areas such as the workplace, schools and social and health care organisations.
- Seeking co-operation with appropriate international agencies
- Attending and speaking at conferences and meetings of other organisations in the field of public health, social affairs, and the prevention of alcohol related harm
- Acting as a central contact point for member organisations as well as other bodies concerned with alcohol related harm
- Monitoring European Union policy
- Promoting prevention of alcohol related harm in European Union decision-making
- Encouraging support for comprehensive research in the field of alcohol related harm
2. Influence European policy-makers by advocating evidence-based and effective alcohol policy.
Policy options include:
- Education on alcohol and the need for alcohol policy
- Drinking-driving
- Individual based interventions
- Managing the availability of alcohol
- Restricting alcohol promotion
- Increasing the price of alcohol
3. Monitoring policy:
On an on-going basis, Eurocare works through the Brussels office to monitor all policy discussions of the European institutions that have an impact on alcohol related harm by attending open meetings of the European Parliament, maintaining ties with key people in the European Commission, and following all the relevant publications. Significant developments in all areas affecting the prevention of alcohol related harm are published on this website.
4. Advocating the prevention of alcohol related harm in European Union decision-making:
With the overall goal of seeing that the prevention of alcohol related harm are taken into consideration in all discussions, policies and regulations promulgated by the European institutions, Eurocare:
- Lobbies the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council of Ministers to ensure that alcohol related harm issues are included in relevant policy discussions.
- Responds through letters and position papers to the European Union decision makers.
- Organises meetings and conferences to inform European Union decision makers regarding alcohol related harm issues.
5. Publishes reports which have included:
