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Resolution on the alcohol strategy

2015/2543(RSP)

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Alcohol Strategy.

The text adopted in plenary had been tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, GUE/NGL, Greens/EFA and EFDD groups.

Parliament reiterated the importance of a strong political commitment from the Commission, Parliament, the Council and the Member States to increase efforts to prevent alcohol related harm.

It called on the Commission to begin work immediately on the new EU Alcohol Strategy (2016-2022) with the same objectives, updating the regulatory framework so as to:

  • assist national governments in dealing with alcohol-related harm,
  • support monitoring and the collection of reliable data,
  • encourage prevention and health promotion and education, early diagnosis, improved access to treatment, continuous support to those affected and their families, including counselling programmes,
  • reduce traffic accidents caused by drink driving.

Parliament urged the Commission to:

  • come forward with the corresponding legislative proposal at the latest in 2016 concerning the calorie content of alcoholic beverages on labels;
  • launch an EU-wide information campaign warning pregnant women not to consume alcohol, and to examine the effect of labelling on this issue and come forward with corresponding legislative proposal at the latest in 2016;
  • consider EU-wide labelling alerting consumers to the dangers of drinking and driving;
  • properly address the cross-border sale of alcohol on the internet;
  • conduct campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of binge drinking, especially for under-age people;
  • closely monitor the implementation of Directive 2010/13/EU on audiovisual media services and to consider its revision with respect to the marketing of alcohol to young people and alcohol sponsorship;
  • maintain in its strategy financial support for effective and science-based projects addressing alcohol-abuse-related harm and the understanding of the underlying causes of alcohol abuse, under the new Health Programme and the Horizon 2020 Programme.

Member States are called upon to:

  • strictly enforce the existing national legislation on age limits on alcohol consumption and to evaluate the need for further legally binding requirements to ensure the effective protection of minors; 
  • implement policies and treatments within their healthcare systems that reduce alcohol addiction in individuals;
  • increase their efforts to educate the general public, particularly minors and pregnant women, on the harmful effects of alcohol consumption and, where required, to legislate accordingly; 
  • draw up strict regulations on the marketing of alcoholic beverages, particularly to minors;
  • consider the appropriateness of introducing national policies aimed at preventing the sale of very cheap alcohol;
  • raise awareness of the consequences of alcohol abuse and put in place screening programmes and short interventions in cases of harmful and dangerous alcohol consumption.

Lastly, Parliament called on the Commission and the Member States to invest in education in order to stress the effects on health and society of harmful alcohol consumption while promoting moderation and responsibility in the consumption of alcoholic drink.