MEPs urge new fight against alcohol abuse

Work is urgently needed on a new European strategy to fight alcohol abuse, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) said Wednesday.

Alcohol abuse is the second biggest lifestyle-related cause of disease in some EU member states and alcohol addiction is a risk factor in over 60 chronic diseases, including liver disease, chronic pancreatitis, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular problems and obesity.

It was claimed to cause 3.3 million premature deaths worldwide each year, or 5.9 percent of the total. Among people aged 20-39, roughly 25 percent of all deaths can be attributed to alcohol abuse, the Parliament heard.

MEPs called on the European Commission (EC) to "immediately begin work on the new EU Alcohol Strategy (2016-2022)" in order to assist national governments in dealing with alcohol-related harm.

The strategy should include collecting reliable data, improving prevention and treatment, reducing accidents caused by drink driving and analysing various drinking patterns, they said in a resolution passed by a show of hands.

Plans for labelling the calorie content of alcoholic beverages should be tabled by the EC in 2016 at the latest, said MEPs.

They also called for a new focus on alcohol consumption by minors and EU-wide labelling to discourage drink driving and drinking while pregnant.

Member states were urged to step up efforts to protect young people by strictly enforcing drinking age limits, and MEPs recommended that the effects of alcohol advertising on young people are monitored and, if necessary, their exposure to such publicity should be limited.

The sale of cheap alcohol and cross-border sales via the internet were also concerns that needed to be addressed.

Socialist MEP Matthias Groote said: "Prevention is key to reducing alcohol related harm, particularly for children and young adults. Member states should stringently enforce existing laws on the sale of alcohol to protect minors, and launch education and awareness campaigns across Europe."