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CAP and alcohol- In search for Coherent Alcohol Policy in Common Agricultural Policy
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 majority of the funding comes from Community policy on information measures on the Community system of wines with a protected designation of origin (PDO) or protected geographical indication (PGI). Ironically, the CAP budget also provides money for ‘information measure on responsible drinking and the damaging effect of dangerous alcohol consumption'. In the last three years approximately €12.7mln has been spent for these two ‘information measures' strands[1].
Consequently, EU budget money (our money) is being given to the alcohol industry to tell us how dangerous it is to consume the product they sell us.
Eurocare has recently addressed this problem in its response to the Common Agriculture Policy consultation. Eurocare has argued for elimination of subsidies for products considered damaging to health. Alcohol is a key health determinant and is responsible for 7.4% of all ill - health and early deaths in Europe, which makes it the third leading risk factor after tobacco and high blood pressure[2]. Moreover, Europe is the heaviest drinking region in the world, with a consumption level of 11 litres of alcohol per adult per year[3]. This is over 2.5 times the rest of the world average.
The CAP tools should not promote products regarded as damaging to health such as alcohol. Additionally, CAP subsidies for distillation of alcohol should be phased out in the next framework.
Subsidies for production and promotion of alcoholic beverages are counterproductive to all public health measures that are taken in other EU policies to reduce harm caused by alcohol. Ending subsidies for promotion of alcoholic beverages would lead to greater consistency in the EU legislation and better spending practices within the EU budget.
To read Eurocare's response to CAP consultation, please click here
[1] Please see answer to the question posed by MEP Alyn Smith: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+WQ2010-010885+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN
[2] WHO, Global Health Risks 2009
[3] WHO Europe, European Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2010