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General
The consumption of alcohol, 100%, has increased to 10, 4 litre/cap over 15 years since the borders are opened up for free private import of alcohol beverages for personal use. The figure includes also the border market shopping. One encouraging trend is that young people in the age of 15 are drinking less on the average. On the other hand, those who are binge drinkers have increased their consumption. In general most older groups have increased their consumption.
The sales of alcohol in Systembolaget, the alcohol monopoly, has increased a little, while travel imports have decreased during 2005, may be it can be a turn of the trend in the right direction. / you will find more information in English in www.can.se/
Taxes
The main issue in the alcohol debate during the last year is the taxation on alcohol, mainly liquor. The background is that Denmark reduced the taxes with 45% in October 2003 and Finland in March 2004 with 40%. Germany and Estonia are also countries close to Sweden and members of the European Union with low alcohol taxes. These four countries offer a good border market for Swedes who want to buy cheep alcohol. The legal import for private use has risen dramatically.
So far Sweden has decided to keep the liquor taxes at the same level as the last ten years, but there is a strong pressure to reduce them. A new possibility to do this will come in April 2006, when the revised government budget is proposed to the Parliament.
An Alcohol Action Plan 2006-2010
A new national action plan for 2006-2010 is launched in November 2005 and it´s a continuation of the former five-year plan.
The goals are:
To reach these goals the government proposes to develop new methods of work in all the arenas where you can meet mainly young people and young adults. There is also a structure to support the local level to a more effective action. The NGO:s are mentioned as important counterparts, but not more.
Alco lock
Alco lock is an others strong issue in the debate. A governmental investigation is under work and there is an ambition to have a law which support Alco locks in all new cars from 2012 and in vehicles i.e. public busses, school busses from year 2010. The report will be finished in June 2006. But already many local authorities, require Alco lock in their public transport vehicles cars.
In the traffic area there is also a discussion to increase the punishment for killing people in alcohol related crashes.
Sweden and the EU court 1
Sweden has two cases in the European court on the issue of internet sales of alcohol. This concerns sales where alcoholic beverages are ordered through the Internet. It means when alcoholic drinks are ordered by Internet from an other member state and are transported to the Swedish customer by a transportation company.
In the first case has The Commission has sued Sweden and in the second one the Swedish Supreme Court has asked for a preliminary ruling. The Swedish government refers to the fact that the EU has accepted the Swedish monopoly far sales to the public and that mail order sales therefore should not be permitted.
Sweden and the EU court 2
Sweden will also be brought to the court in a case where the Commission claims that Sweden
Has to lower the tax on wine, since it today is higher than the tax on beer. The Commission is
Of the opinion that the present situation discriminates wine in relation to beer, which is a product produced in Sweden.
Monopoly advertising
The Swedish Alcohol Retailing Monopoly is celebrating it´s 50th anniversary with an international campaign to explain the principles of alcohol policy. It contents among other things a short film, an open letter to Mr Barrioso, the president of the European Commission and a website called www.DearMrB.se
Kjell-Ove Oscarsson
Swedish Council on Alcohol and Drugs
1996 - 2005 Eurocare