Question by Catherine Stihler on Increase in alcoholic drinks containing caffeine

Can the Commission comment on the worrying growth of alcoholic drinks containing caffeine? These drinks not only encourage consumers to drink more, knowing that the stimulus of caffeine will allow consumers to drink more and for longer, but also may contribute to risk-taking behaviour and the likelihood of incurring personal injury.

Does the Commission intend to undertake research on the effects of caffeinated alcoholic drinks or to propose EU intervention?

Can the Commission also comment on whether, in the interim, caffeinated alcohol might be banned at Member State level?

Joint answer given by Ms Vassiliou on behalf of the Commission

Written questions: E-6432/08, E-6433/08. As the Commission has indicated in its answer to Written Question P-5577/08 by the Honourable Member Anna Hedh, alcoholic energy drinks are the latest development in a trend of product development that started in the 1990s. These new products can be presented in a way which may be especially attractive to young persons. The Commission is aware of the concerns which non-governmental organisations in particular have expressed about such products, relating to their appeal to underage drinkers and to the possibility that they may mask the effects of alcohol. As the combination of stimulants and alcohol may lead to increased risk-taking, young people in particular are at risk to suffer more alcohol-related harm from consuming these products, as risk-taking is an inherent part of youth behaviour. Regarding research on the effects of caffeinated alcoholic drinks, the Commission considered these aspects while preparing the work programmes of the 7th Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities.

A call for proposals is currently open on ‘Stress, addiction and eating behaviour' (Call FP7‑KBBE‑2009‑3). As regards the labelling aspects, the EU food labelling legislation (Directive 2000/13/EC(1)), covers all foodstuffs, including alcoholic beverages, defined as containing more than 1,2 % by volume of alcohol. This directive provides, inter alia, for the compulsory indication of the list of ingredients. However, Article 6(3) states that specific rules should be adopted for the labelling of ingredients of alcoholic beverages. This provision, included in the Community labelling legislation since 1979, is intended to take into account the specificities of these products and of their process of production. Although several proposals have been submitted to that effect in the past by the Commission to the Parliament and the Council, no agreement could be reached up to now on that issue. Therefore, alcoholic beverages are currently exempted from the obligation to list the ingredients, including caffeine.

Accordingly, the specific rules laid down in the Commission Directive 2002/67/EC(2) for the labelling of foodstuffs containing caffeine as an ingredient do not apply to alcoholic beverages. The issue of labelling of alcoholic beverages has been addressed in the context of the new proposal for a Regulation of the Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers, adopted by the Commission in January 2008(3). The proposal improves and clarifies the current situation concerning the listing of ingredients of alcoholic beverages in an attempt to reconcile the consumers' needs for information with the specificities in the production of such products. In accordance with the proposed rules, ready to drink mixed alcoholic beverages would be covered by the requirement to provide information on ingredients, and consequently they would also be subject to the rules for labelling caffeine. Wine, beer and spirits would continue to be exempted from those obligations pending a review from the Commission on the labelling of such products after five years from the entry into force of the new Regulation. (1)OJ L 109, 6.5.2000.(2)OJ L 191, 19.7.2002.(3)COM(2008)40 final.