Relaunch of the European Alcohol and Health Forum

2.6.2021

Question for written answer  E-002908/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Radka Maxová (S&D), Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE), Biljana Borzan (S&D), Juozas Olekas (S&D), Sara Cerdas (S&D), Monika Beňová (S&D), Miriam Lexmann (PPE), Vilija Blinkevičiūtė (S&D), Maria Grapini (S&D), Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE)

The European Alcohol and Health Forum was launched after the adoption of the EU strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm, and it constituted a crucial platform for key stakeholders to engage in a structural dialogue over effective practices and policies to tackle harmful alcohol consumption. However, since the departure of public health NGOs from the Forum in 2015 because of the Commission’s refusal to submit a new alcohol strategy, the Forum has not been reconvened.

However, the Commission presented its Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan earlier this year, which includes the aim of eliminating harmful alcohol consumption in line with the targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in its prevention action area. This has created a new opportunity for the re-engagement of all key stakeholders within the Forum.

• 1.Is the Commission planning the relaunch the European Alcohol and Health Forum in order to facilitate the cooperation of public health authorities, industry representatives and NGOs to ensure effective designation and implementation of policies aiming to achieve Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan’s targets?
• 2.How will the Commission ensure effective involvement of the relevant stakeholders at national and European level to reduce alcohol-related harm?