EuropeanCommission

Protecting teens from the impact of alcohol marketing:

the EU Alcohol Strategy

Dr. Pieter de Coninck

Unit Health Determinants (C4)

DG Health and Consumers

European Commission

Seminar “Under the Influence”

Brussels, European Parliament 21 June 2011

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Council Recommendation

alcohol and young people (2001)

Concerns about drinking trends among adolescents

Need for improved research of causes, nature and scale of the problems, caused by juvenile alcohol consumption

“Self-regulation of advertising for alcoholic beverages […] can play an important role with regard to the protection of children and adolescents from alcohol-related harm. Youth organisations could also make an important contribution in this context.”

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Council Recommendation alcohol and young people (2001)

THEREFORE (i.a.): MS should, together with economic

operators and relevant NGOs, establish effective mechanisms to ensure that: Producers do not produce alcoholic

beverages specifically targeted at children and adolescents;

Alcoholic beverages are not designed or promoted to appeal to children and adolescents.

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Council Recommendation alcohol and young people (2001)

THE COMMISSION INVITED (i.a.) to: support the MS in their efforts to

implement these recommendations, especially by collecting and providing and relevant comparable data

ensure in this context a continuous, constructive and structured dialogue with all interested parties

Make full use of all Community policies […] to address the matters covered in this recommendation.

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Council Conclusionsof 5 June 2001

THE COMMISSION INVITED TO: Put forward proposals for a comprehensive

Community strategy aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm, which shall complement national policies and set out a timetable for the different actions.

24 October 2006: Commission Communication, “An EU strategy to support MS in reducing alcohol related harm”

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SANCO Round Table onAdvertising Self-Regulation

Convened in 2005-2006 under chairmanship of DG SANCO

Participants included among others the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA), Eurocare, and the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)

July 2006: “Self-Regulation in the EU Advertising Sector: A report of some discussion among interested parties”

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Defining a best practice model in advertising S-R

Effectiveness: establishing and publishing performance objectives, good procedures for submitting and handling of complaints, setting standards for training advertising staff, effective sanctions for non-compliance

Independence: openness and transparency, effective contribution of other stakeholders, adjudication bodies should be composed of a substantial proportion of independent persons

Coverage: not only ‘pure advertising’ but all other form of marketing communication, monitoring new trends (“e.g. buzz marketing”) that may escape SR

Funding: strong political support for industry voluntary funding is desirable

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EU Alcohol Strategy

“A comprehensive strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm in Europe until the end of 2012”

No intention “to propose the development of harmonised legislation in the field of the prevention of alcohol-related harm”

No intention “to substitute Community action to national policies”

Five priority themes, which are relevant in all MS and for which Community action in complement to national policies and coordination of national actions has an added value

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§ 6.3.3. of EU Alcohol Strategy:Commercial communication

Certain aspects already regulated by Community law

In addition: increasing clarity regarding S-R best practice

Commission services will work with stakeholders to create sustained momentum for cooperation on responsible marketing and sales

Aim is to support EU and MS actions to prevent irresponsible marketing

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Implementing the EU Alcohol Strategy

Work across EU policies

Cooperation with Member States

Platform to mobilise action by stakeholders

European Alcohol and Health Forum

Committee onNational Alcohol

Policy and Action

Member States

Work across other policies

▪transport▪youth

▪information society▪research

▪employment▪taxation

▪dedicated committee Alcohol data collection

▪cooperation with WHO

EU Health Programme

Science GroupScience Group

Plenary meetings

Task ForcesTask Forces

Open ForumOpen Forum

▪tendered studies

▪conferences

▪projects

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EAHF Task Force on Marketing Communication

Tasks as defined in Forum Charter:

Examine best practice actions aimed at promoting responsibility in marketing, and preventing irresponsible marketing;

Examine and build upon the report of the SANCO Advertising Round Table;

Examine trends in product development, product placement, sales promotions and other forms of marketing, and trends in alcohol advertising and sponsorship;

Make any appropriate recommendations to the Forum.

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Results

Six meetings between December 2007 and June 2009

Three mapping reports prepared by the Institute of Social Marketing (ISM), a collaboration between the University of Stirling and the Open University:

Self-Regulation Targeting Youth Social Marketing

Special workshop in Stockholm on 22 September 2009

Chair’s report to EAHF plenary in November 2009

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2009 opinion of the EAHF Science Group

“Does marketing communication impact on the volume and patterns of consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially by young people? - a review of longitudinal studies”

Based on review of 13 longitudinal studies the SG concluded “that alcohol marketing increases the likelihood that adolescents will start to use alcohol and to drink more if they are already using alcohol.”

“When reading this scientific opinion, it should be remembered that only a small part of the marketing mix has been analysed and reported.”

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Other relevant activities

About 50 Forum commitments Work of the Marketing Task Force discussed

in Forum plenary meetings Recent progress: voluntary codes being

extended to alcohol marketing in digital space

Funding of projects under the EU Health Programme: ELSA, AMMIE and FASE

Projects funded under EU Framework Programmes: AMPHORA and ALICE RAP

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Legislative developments in Member States

Restricting alcohol advertising on television is receiving much attention as a means of protecting children.

To this end in 2007, 2008, and 2009 “watersheds” have been introduced in respectively Finland, Lithuania, and the Netherlands.

In all MS a mixture of statutory and voluntary regulations.

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Upcoming studies

Update of the 2009 Self-Regulation mapping report

Tendered study “An EU-wide overview of the market and regulation regarding types of alcoholic beverages with potentially particular appeal to minors”

Tendered “Further study on the affordability of alcoholic beverages in the EU”

Tendered study “An assessment of young people’s exposure to alcohol marketing in audiovisual and online media”

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2nd Report on progressplanned for 2012

Information sources: Independent evaluation of the

implementation European Alcohol and Health Forum process Cooperation with Member States

Joint EC/WHO survey addressed to MS in 2011 trends in alcohol consumption and harm development of policies and measures

Internal reporting, including by other DGs Further relevant sources

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2nd Report on progress planned for 2012

Information sources: Independent evaluation of the

implementation European Alcohol and Health Forum

process Cooperation with Member States

Joint EC/WHO survey addressed to MS in 2011 trends in alcohol consumption and harm development of policies and measures

Internal reporting, including by other DGs Further relevant sources

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Evaluation of implementation structures and processes

Spring 2011 Call for tender under existing framework contract Setting up steering groups

In 2012 Preliminary findings for discussion Final report from contractor

EuropeanAlcohol and Health Forum

Committee on National Alcohol Policy and Action

Assess the Forum as a structure for implementing the EU Alcohol Strategy and its added value in stimulating concrete stakeholder-driven actions.

Assess the CNAPA as a structure for implementing the EU Alcohol Strategy, in particular through the coordination of national alcohol policies.

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Next steps

2009 Council Conclusions on Alcohol and Health, inviting the Commission i.a. to:

“report to the Council, in 2012 at the latest, on the progress and outcome of the Commission’s work and on activities reported by Member States”;

“define priorities for the next phase of the Commission’s work on alcohol and health after the end of the current strategy”;

“consider, when appropriate, further steps to protect children, adolescents and young people from […] exposure to alcohol marketing

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Next steps

However, before considering the next phase it is essential to have available the 2nd progress report and the results of the evaluation.

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Further information

DG Health & Consumers website http://ec.europa.eu/health http://ec.europa.eu/health/alcohol/policy/ind

ex_en.htm

EU Public Health Portal http://health.europa.eu