A comprehensive European alcohol advertising ban is “realistically achievable”, a new report has concluded.
The European restrictions on advertising tobacco, gambling and prescriptive drugs show that there are possibilities for the EU to adopt extensive alcohol advertising bans, the European Centre for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing (EUCAM) – has said.
A new fact sheet by the group – Legal possibilities of a comprehensive alcohol advertising ban in Europe – said that existing alcohol marketing restrictions in Norway, Sweden and France show that national alcohol advertising bans do not necessarily violate EU law.
A pan-European alcohol advertising ban “is the next step in limiting the large volume of alcohol advertising in Europe, and is recommended by the World Health Organisation”, the report found.
An earlier EUCAM fact sheet evaluating alcohol marketing regulations in Europe found that France and Norway can be seen as the best practices in the region.
“Here strong volume or content restrictions go together with a strong supportive regulation system,” the report, Alcohol marketing regulations in Europe – how affective are they?, found.
It found that effective alcohol marketing regulations are an “essential control measure in a comprehensive alcohol policy that aims to decrease alcohol related harm and to protect young people”.
Legislation is “significantly more effective” than self-regulation systems, the report concluded.
Meanwhile, Alcohol Action Ireland appeared in the European Parliament calling for the introduction of harmonized alcohol marketing regulations on an EU wide basis.
Policy Officer with Alcohol Action Ireland Cliona Murphy delivered the closing remarks at the Under the Influence: Protecting teens from the impact of alcohol marketing seminar which took place in the European Parliament recently.
