Source: Forut

A recent comparison of proposed national alcohol policies in Lesotho, Malawi, Uganda, and Botswana shows that the alcohol industry has assumed a significant and detrimental role in designing national alcohol policies in Sub-Saharan Africa. The policy drafts point to the alcohol industry’s preferred version of a national alcohol policy, which includes letting the industry regulate its own marketing activities.

The Commission's proposal exempts a number of alcoholic beverages from the obligation of indicating the ingredients and the nutrients, subject to a report which the Commission will have to draw up five years after the entry into force of the Regulation.

The majority of Member States supports this approach but proposed to complete the list proposed by the Commission with additional alcoholic beverages.

The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee launched a call for written evidence from all interested parties on the general principles of the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill on Thursday 26 November 2009.

10 December 2009. Click here to access the new complete project database on Health Programmes.

The text can be found at http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/activities/globalstrategy/en/index.html, and here: http://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_eb126.html.

1 December 2009. The Council of the EU adopted today its Conclusions on Alcohol and Health

27 November 2009. The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, has announced the portfolios responsibilities for the next Commission.

Twelve European health and safety umbrella organisations call for stricter EU-coordinated alcohol policies.

26 November 2009.

Click here to access the ENVI draft report from rapporteur on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers.

The European Commission plans to publish the Work Plan for 2010, which sets the annual priorities for the implementation of the EU Health Programme already in 2009