The drinks industry has usurped the role of the national governments and drafted the national alcohol strategies of several Sub-Saharan countries[1] with the aim of safeguarding its own economic interests.

8 April 2008. The European Court of Justice has dismissed the Commission action against Sweden and considered that different tax treatment of beer and wine in Sweden does not infringe community law.

Faced by the mounting evidence on the effect alcohol marketing has in increasing the use of alcohol among young people, a number of European public health NGOs have decided to join forces to set up the 1st European alcohol marketing monitoring centre: EUCAM.

The third European Alcohol Policy conference took place in Barcelona, 3rd-5th April 2008, with 352 participants from 36 countries. The conference was encompassed within the programme of activities organized by the Slovenian Presidency of the EU.

The first youth network on alcohol policy was established in Budapest, from 28-30 March: Alcohol Policy Youth Network (APYN).

The Constitutive meeting gathered more than 30 people in the European Youth Centre of the Hungarian capital.

The European Parliament is preparing its report on the Commission’s proposal on labelling.

The EU Public Health Programme has published its 'Call for proposals 2008' which allows organisations to participate under a variety of financing mechanisms.

The European Commission on 14 February 2008 adopted a proposal to review the Directive on the general arrangements for products subject to excise duty (i.e. alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and mineral oils) which dates from 1992.

15 April 2008. The Irish Minister for Children, Brendan Smith, launched a report on teen views regarding alcohol misuse gathered from consultations organised by the Office of the Minister for Children (OMC) in five locations around the country during October 2007.

15 April 2008. The European Forum for Responsible Drinking (EFRD) has launched a new website www.marketresponsibly.eu