Eurocare Updates

Source: GAPA

In May 2010 the UN General Assembly (GA) passed Resolution 64/265 which called for the convening of a high-level meeting of the GA in September 2011 in New York on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases[i].

Complications from drinking alcohol are the second leading cause of death throughout Europe. New medical studies continued to be published, illustrating the cancer and disease links that alcohol contributes to.

Brussels, 14 February 2011.The Council today adopted a regulation that will make it possible for EU citizens to call for legislative proposals on a specific issue.

Wider implementation of policies is needed to save lives and reduce the health impact of harmful alcohol drinking, says a new report launched by WHO

Eurocare believes that this is the consumer's right to know what is in their drink and over the last few months we have been advocating for inclusion of alcohol in the Provision of Food Information to Consumers legislation. Unfortunately, currently alcohol is exempted from requirement to list its ingredients (kcal, sugar etc.)

Under the current regulations alcohol production is eligible for EU funding and, as recently noted by the Commission, this is not likely to change.

The summary report and presentations played during the Seventh European Alcohol and health Forum plenary meeting that took place on 18 November 2010 in Brussels are available here.

While public health organisations in different countries recommend having alcohol advertising and sponsorship removed from sport the same way as tobacco was decades ago , new research provides evidence that alcohol industry sponsorship is associated with more hazardous drinking in sportspeople compared to non-alcohol sponsorship.

4th of February marks the World Cancer Day, this disease is the leading cause of death in several European countries, it is can be predicted that with demographic changes it recurrence will only intensify in the coming months.

On Tuesday 7 December 2010, the MAC (MEPs Against Cancer) organized a round table discussion on the topic of Alcohol and Cancer. The outcome of this round table was clear: drinking alcohol can cause different types of cancer, such as cancer of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, oesophagus, breast, colorectum and liver.