Europe’s brewers welcome EU Health Commissioner’s support for EU Alcohol & Health Forum
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Brussels, 19 October 2011: The Brewers of Europe welcome EU Health Commissioner John Dalli’s speech today to the European Alcohol and Health Forum and his ongoing support for the multi-stakeholder approach and voluntary action to prevent alcohol-related harm. Europe’s brewers remain fully committed both to the Forum and to Commissioner Dalli’s clear wish for Forum members to step up.
The Brewers of Europe, a founding member of the Forum, is its leading contributor, with over one third of the two hundred voluntary commitments to the Forum having been made by brewers. We are proud of the role that our members play in a group that is committed to targeted and measurable action.
Through the Forum, our members have been able to make a difference through proposing, implementing and monitoring ambitious commitments, often in far-reaching partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, on issues such as drink driving, binge drinking by young adults, alcohol and pregnancy, and underage youth consumption.
Europe’s brewers also delivered on an ambitious three-year pan-European commitment to develop common standards and implement rigorous codes of conduct in advertising through transparent systems. This voluntary approach has delivered results quickly and in a targeted way that still respects the need for nationally tailored solutions.
Europe’s brewers will continue to submit ambitious commitments to the Forum to respond to society and the Commissioner’s expectations and hopes that the Forum will continue to help mobilise action across Europe to address alcohol related harm. We also took note of the Commissioner’s clear statement on the importance of information and education and look forward to supporting the Commission in tackling the shared challenges ahead.
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Media contact:
Simon Spillane
Senior Advisor - Beer & Society and Communications
The Brewers of Europe
23-25 Rue Caroly
1050 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 551 1810
Website: www.brewersofeurope.org
Twitter: @brewersofeurope.org