EU: Brussels threatens beer drinkers' choice, warns the British Beer & Pub Association

A proposal from Brussels to regulate the consumption of beer, wine, cider and spirits threatens the rights of Britain’s consumers, the British Beer & Pub Association warned August 08. The proposal, due to be published by the European Commission’s public health department (DG SANCO) in September, would impose a standard policy across Europe, regardless of national or local cultures.

If Europe’s proposals become law, says the BPPA, Britain’s drinkers can expect the following new restrictions:
1. Higher prices – Minimum tax rates for alcoholic beverages, which would be raised substantially and standardised across Europe.
2. No more trips to Calais – EU member states would be able limit the right of their citizens to buy alcoholic drinks from abroad.
3. Turning the clock back on licensing hours – Restrictions to the hours that alcoholic drinks may be sold.
4. Bans on advertising and sponsorship – which would affect everything from local pub teams to major sporting and cultural events.
5. Compulsory health warnings printed on drink bottles and cans.

The EU proposals are based on a report entitled ‘Alcohol in Europe’, which was commissioned by DG SANCO from Dr Peter Anderson and the Institute of Alcohol Studies, a UK-based organisation hosted by the temperance-promoting Alliance House Foundation.

The British Beer & Pub Association says that Europe’s proposals are not evidence-based and will not work. It believes that any appropriate public health measures should be determined here in Britain rather than in Brussels. Indeed, pub industry leaders and British government ministers agreed a new action plan in May.

Mark Hastings, Communications Director at the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “Britain is not the same as Finland or Spain. We recognise that problems related to the misuse of alcohol – both in terms of health issues and anti-social behaviour – exist in some parts of Europe.

“However, laws designed to deal with a problem in one country will not necessarily work in another. For example, a state monopoly of all retail outlets for drinks, like they have in Sweden, would be an absurd idea in Britain.

“Even if it were possible to devise a pan-European policy, these proposals from Brussels would not work because they are not evidence-based. Indeed, they could do more harm than good, by raising expectations while failing to deal with social problems.

“DG SANCO is confusing alcohol consumption in general with the misuse of alcoholic drinks. If it persists with these policies, it risks alienating public opinion by treating responsible consumers like alcoholics.”

The British Beer & Pub Association broadly supports the conclusions of a new report commissioned by The Brewers of Europe, and published by the Weinberg Group on 14 July 2006. This report underlines the need for evidence-based policies to tackle alcohol-related problems in society. The report, which also examines patterns of alcohol consumption across Europe, is entitled ‘An independent review of issues related to alcohol consumption in Europe’ and has been reviewed by an independent scientific panel. The independent scientific panel concluded that, “any EU policies on alcohol-related harm should be formulated and implemented taking into account regional, national and local differences in the consumption and misuse of alcohol.”

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