Drinking alcohol in pregnancy remains a significant public health issue in Europe. A substantial number of women across the EU, continue to drink during pregnancy–ranging from 25% in Spain to 35%-50% in the Netherlands and even higher rates in the UK or Ireland.

Prenatal exposure to alcohol is a leading preventable cause of birth defects an developmental disorders, and the only one which is 100% preventable. Unfortunately, many women are not aware that, throughout the pregnancy, even at low levels of exposure, alcohol interferes with the normal development and can seriously damage the unborn child.

Brussels, 30 January 2008. Eurocare is pleased that the Commission is taking into account consumers’ needs for information regarding mixed alcoholic beverages (alcopops). However Mariann Skar, Secretary General of Eurocare, regrets the decision not to include all alcoholic beverages “this, in our view, is a missed opportunity to adopt a comprehensive approach to labeling and will not benefit the European consumers. Furthermore, this is not in line with the Commission’s obligation toseek to improve the coherence between policies that have an impact on alcohol related harm stated in the EU Alcohol Strategy[1]”.

Brussels, 17 October 2007. Today, the Directorate for Public Health and Consumer Protection of the European Commission (DG SANCO) will hold the first plenary meeting of the Alcohol and Health Forum. This multistakholder forum, modelled on the EU Platform for Diet, Physical Activity and Health, brings together actors pledging to take concrete actions to reduce alcohol related harm in Europe, now the heaviest drinking region in the world.

On 5 September 2007 members of the European Parliament adopted an amended report, prepared by Alessandro Foglietta, on the EU Strategy for Reducing Alcohol Related Harm.

Brussels, 7 June 2007. Today marks the launch of the European Commission’s ‘Alcohol and Health Forum’, a multistakeholder platform bringing together civil society and businesses pledging to take action to reduce alcohol related harm in Europe. Eurocare welcomes the action oriented remit of the Forum and is committed to fully supporting DG Sanco, whose work has been pivotal in firmly establishing alcohol on the EU political agenda. We hope that all European alcohol producers and retailers will participate in the Forum, and commit to evidence based actions, thus explicitly recognising their responsibilities towards curbing alcohol related harm in Europe, in particular among young people.

Eurocare welcomes the results of the voting in the European Parliament on the minimum excise duties

Brussels, 23 May 2007. The Members of the European Parliament have today voted against the adoption of the report prepared by the vice-chairman of the Beer group in the European Parliament, the MEP from Luxembourg, Ms Astrid Lulling, on minimum excise duties on alcohol.

Eurocare welcomes public support for Alcohol Strategy

Brussels, 14 March 2007. Eurocare welcomes the Eurobarometer Special Report on attitudes towards alcohol, released today by the European Commission, and hopes the survey will be repeated at regular intervals in order to, amongst other things, measure the success of the EU Alcohol Strategy in reducing the harm done by alcohol in Europe.

On 25 October what will the Commission decide?

Leading public health agencies and non-governmental organizations in Europe are calling on the European Commission to resist alcohol industry pressure to abandon its alcohol harm reduction strategy.

Each year alcohol kills 115.000 people in Europe and costs 125 billion euros to EU society. This is equivalent to 1.3% GDP.

Brussels, 1 June 2006:A 400 page report analysing the health, social and economic impact of alcohol in Europe, has been released today by the European Commission, setting out the scientific evidence that will inform the Commission’s first-ever strategy on alcohol due out later this year.