NGOs resign from EU’s Alcohol and Health Forum

On 2 June 2015 more than 20 public health NGOs resigned from the EU Alcohol and Health Forum, following the announcement by Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis on 22 May 2015 that he has no plans to submit a new strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm in Europe, suggesting that the issue will be tackled as part of a broad range of “risk factors” affecting chronic diseases.

The EU’s latest strategy to tackle alcohol abuse ended in 2012 and was not replaced by a new one.

In their open letter the NGOs argue that the Commissioner’s decision goes against demands from Member States and the European Parliament for a new comprehensive Strategy to tackle alcohol harm in Europe.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chair of the EU Alcohol and Health Forum’s Science Group said: “This is a sad day for those who care about health in Europe. The Commission’s prioritisation of alcohol industry interests over public health has been laid bare. Many NGOs have participated actively and in good faith in the EU Alcohol and Health Forum, in the hope of making progress and reducing alcohol harm. However, with no evidence to indicate the Forum has achieved any meaningful results, and no promise of a new Alcohol Strategy, we see no alternative to walking away from this failing organization.”