Eurocare Annual General Meeting

Over 30 people attended the 18th (Eurocare Annual General meeting, held in Brussels from 14th to 16th September. Participants engaged in fruitful discussions, reflecting upon the busiest year yet for the Eurocare Secretariat. Indeed, the release of the ‘EU Strategy to Support Member States in Reducing Alcohol Related Harm' in October 2006, was a major catalyst setting the work agenda for staff in Brussels.

A Seminar organised in the European Parliament in January 2007, brought together representatives from the Commission, the European Parliament, the WHO and the Public Health Community to analyse the virtues and shortcomings of the Strategy.The event, opened by the EU Commissioner for Health, Mr Markos Kyprianou, was a great success, attended by over one hundred participants, 30 of which were MEP's or Assistants.

The European Parliament's Report on the Strategy, prepared by Mr Alessandro Foglietta, brought further opportunities for the Brussels Staff to make contact with MEP's, as they provided detailed feedback on the initial draft, and drafted amendments prior to the final vote.

In relation to a controversial measure proposed in the report- health warning labels on alcohol beverage containers- Eurocare organised, together with two MEP's from the Netherlands a lunch meeting in the European Parliament in Strasbourg to mark International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Day. This event was also regarded as a success, attended by sixteen MEP's, several of whom referred to the findings presented to them , during the debate in Plenary later that day.

Ongoing dossiers, such as Television Without Frontiers and Minimum Excise Duties continued to be monitored by the Office, and led staff to undertake further campaigns, coordinated with Eurocare members, to raise awareness among MEP's.

This year has also seen the launch of the European Commission's Alcohol and Health Forum, a multi stakeholder platform constituting the backbone of the EU Alcohol Strategy. Modelled on the EU Platform for Diet, Physical Activity and Health, it brings together economic operators and NGO's, pledging to take concrete actions (“commitments”) to reduce the incidence of alcohol related harm in Europe, now the heaviest drinking region in the world.

Several Eurocare members are taking part in the Forum, launched on 7th June 2007: ANPAA, France (Agence Nationale de Prévention en Alcoologie et Addictologie); Institute of Alcohol Studies, UK; Eurocare Italia; Alcohol Action Ireland; STAP, Netherlands (National Foundation for Alcohol Prevention); DHS, Germany (Centre for Addictions); IOGT-NTO Sweden, and the Estonian Temperance Union.

The Annual General Meeting voted for the following Eurocare Commitments: a new Eurocare Website, promoted as a ‘once stop shop' for policy makers, journalists, and all those interested in European Alcohol Policy, as well as a joint commitment with the European Youth Forum to support the creation of an ‘Alcohol Policy Youth Network'.

Finally, the secretariat is delighted to announce the appointment of Mariann Skar as Eurocare Secretary General; we warmly welcome her to our team, and look forward to the new challenges ahead of us. We would also like to thank former Head of Office Hakon Riegels, for all his work over the last two years. We regret to see him leave, and wish him all the best of luck in his new position.