The Council of EU addressed alcohol in conclusions on closing health gaps
The Council of the European Union has adopted conclusions on closing health gaps within the EU through concerted action to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours
The Conclusions are addressing alcohol as an important factor for health in the EU, and welcome the EU strategy to support Member States in reducing alcohol related harm. The conclusions recognise an EU alcohol strategy as an important step towards a comprehensive approach to tackle alcohol related harm at both EU and Member State levels. The conclusions also stress the link between health inequalities within and between Member States and harmful alcohol consumption. The conclusion further welcomes the outcomes from the expert meeting on alcohol, held in Poznan, Poland, in October this year.
The Council calls on Member States to continue and intensify the action on lifestyle behaviours, and allocate resources to health promotion and prevention activities. Furthermore, the Council calls on Member States and the European Commission to implement effective alcohol policies and programmes to address alcohol related harm, including exposure to alcohol advertising, information, early education and intervention to discourage harmful alcohol consumption.
Eurocare welcomes the Council Conclusions. Mariann Skar, Eurocare Secretary General, emphasises the importance of including alcohol when addressing health inequalities. “I am glad to see alcohol addressed in the Council Conclusions, and want to stress the recognized need for an EU Alcohol Strategy from the Member States. Eurocare would like to congratulate Poland with their important efforts as Presidency over the last six months to address alcohol related harm and is hoping that Denmark will follow up on actions to reduce burden of alcohol misuse not only on European health but also economy”.