Please find below The Netherlands Country report produced by STAP (National Foundation for Alcohol Prevention), November 2004.

Country report The Netherlands

In The Netherlands alcohol policy fortunately still is an actual political theme. The announced renewing of the main alcohol law (Alcohol and Catering law) stimulates the discussion about selfregulation, the drinking culture of young people and the reponsibility of sellers and purchasers. But, on the other hand, it seems to be very difficult to take new steps forward after the rather positive changes in alcohol policy under the Ministry of Mrs. Borst, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports, until 2002. The Netherlands now has a liberal minister, Mr. Hoogervorst, who rules this ministry. This results in new efforts of proponants of a liberal alcohol policy to take their chance. One of the main successes of Mrs. Borst was the improvement of the state of compliance of the existing Alcohol and Catering act. She also established a legal basis for possible restrictions on freedom of alcohol advertising. The quality and quantity of the compliance became an important matter of policy attention. A total of 50 new inspectors started working resulting in a better rate of compliance, a range of concrete published research figures about the number of offences of the regulations concerning the existing age limits (16 years for alcoholic beverages up to 15% alcohol by volume and 18 years for 15% and higher) and a higher alertness among the purchasers to respect the rules. The result is that it has really become more difficult for under age youngsters to buy alcohol. The norms regarding the age limits are strengthened, although it is still rather easy for youngsters purposely wanting to buy alcohol to do so. On the other hand, the higher control of age-limit compliance resulted in strong opposition from the side of the national interest union of the alcohol sellers or bar owners. they claim that youngsters who buy alcohol also should be prosecuted. They claim that it is impossible to signalize the differences between youngsters below and above the age limits. In the community too, some parents are opposing the fact that their children of 14 or 15 years old are unable to buy alcohol. In other words: there still is a lot of work to do, to strenghten the support in the community for a better compliance to the alcohol act.

Minister Hoogervorst has claimed very clearly that any form of alcohol marketing towards minors should be stopped. But his predecessor Mrs. Borst concluded after 8 years of alcohol policy practice that selfregulation is not sufficient. Hoogervorst is willing to give the advantage of the doubt to the industry, with the clear stated condition that if the voluntary action of the industry itself doesn't work, statutory rules are necessary. It seems that the whole debate about alcoholmarkering is starting again and that it will take at least another 2 or 3 years before any result becomes visible.

Since the last adaption of the Alcohol and Catering Act it is forbidden to sell alcohol in petrol stations as well as in non-food shops like music or clothing stores. Recent evaluation showed that as a result of this new restriction of the availibilty of alcohol more specific shops have added food to their assortment.

A remarkable development in the Netherlands is the growing number of private settlements where youngsters (13-23 years of age) spend a great part of their leisure time. These places mostly are situated in the countrysite and consist of caravans, sheds, greenhouses and so on. The owners/visitors are mostly boys although girls are also frequently visiting these 'private' bars where youngsters spend their evenings during the weekdays and in the weekends before they go to discotheques etc. The consumption of cheap beer and alcopops or mixdrinks is one of the dominant activities. Local officials are wondering what kind of tools they posess to stop this growing phenomenon of new private bars where beer is not seldomly sold for low prices albeit in a more or less private setting. The negative elements are: the high drinking level of the sometimes very young visitors (13, 14), driving under influence, the tolerant attitude of parents (their typical reaction is: 'at least we know where our kids are'); the positive element is the social function of these places for young people who in many cases have too little alternatives to spend their leisure time in an affordable way.

Parents of under age youngsters are becoming the new targetgroup of health educators and of the social aspect group (STIVA) of the alcoholindustry. Research shows that almost half of all the parents of teenagers (10-15 years of age) do not show any interest in responsible alcohol education and they accept early drinking at home (12, 13, 14 years of age). The argument mostly heard is: ?rather under my supervision than outside where I don't see it?. But otherwise there seems to be a growing willingness to communicate a 'new' clear norm: do not start drinking before 16 years of age


Ir. Wim van Dalen,
managing director of STAP

STAP advocates effective alcohol control policies and works toward greater restrictions on alcohol marketing, and the provision of objective information about the health and social effects of alcohol consumption. ____________________________________________

STAP (National Foundation for Alcohol Prevention)
Ravellaan 88
3533 JP Utrecht
PO box 8181
3503 RD Utrecht
The Netherlands
T: +31 (0) 30-6565041
F: +31 (0) 30-6565043
www.alcoholpreventie.nl
www.alcoholreclame.nl
www.alcoholenopvoeding.nl