The Charter establishing the Forum on Alcohol and Health was signed by over 40 representatives of European NGOs and agencies in Brussels last week. The Forum is the brainchild of European Commissioner for Public Health Markos Kyprianou “to protect European citizens from the harmful use of alcohol”. The Forum – in which member states, EU institutions, World Health Organization and International Wine Organization will participate in the role of observers – will meet at least twice each year under the chairmanship of the General Directorate for Health and Protection of Consumers of the European Commission. The Forum’s declared objective is the adoption of effective measures to reduce the harmful effects caused by the abuse of alcoholic beverages, according to the priorities defined by a specific Communication of the Executive in October last year: namely, protection of adolescents and children, reduction of the number of road accidents caused by alcohol (over 200,000 deaths in the EU alone in 2006, a quarter of them in the age group 15-29), prevention of the harmful effects on adults and corresponding reduction of the negative impact on the economy, heightening awareness about the consequences on health and improvement of statistical indicators. Two work groups have already been set up within the Forum: one on communication & marketing and the other on specific aspects linked to alcohol abuse among the young.
