“Alcohol - a Cross-Border
Health Determinant”
The 4th European Awareness Week on Alcohol Related Harm was held from 21st to 25th November, under the theme of "Alcohol - A Cross-Border Health Determinant". The AWARH partners focused on the ongoing revision of the Audio Visual Media Services Directive, and highlighted THE opportunity this revision presents to free Europe’s children and youth from health-harmful marketing. The AWARH partners emphasised, at different meetings held throughout the week, the three steps can be taken to improve the AVMSD:
- Minimise young people’s exposure to marketing of health-harmful products
- Exclude alcohol and food high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) from product placement and sponsorship
- Ensure that Member States can effectively limit broadcasts from other countries on public health grounds
7th European Alcohol Policy Conference (22nd and 23rd November 2016)
The week started with the opening of the 7th European Alcohol Policy conference, hosted by the Ministry of Health in Slovenia, co-sponsored by the World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, and co-organised by the European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare), which also hosts the Secretariat for AWARH.
Participants raised awareness about the current burden of alcohol in Europe and the multiple health and social problems it creates and explored ways in which cost-effective alcohol policies can contribute to the creation of sustainable health system savings. In addition, the participants considered the synergies between the current works undertaken by both the European Commission and the World Health Organization with regards to chronic diseases and alcohol policy.
The participation at a Ministerial level contributed to the high-level policy discussions, exchange of information and good practices. The World Health Organization, at both Global and European level, the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions shared their knowledge and experience. Researchers, public-health professionals and civil society representatives focused on developments in Europe.
The conference strengthened networks, built capacity and stimulated action to prevent and reduce alcohol-related problems at all levels. Two main themes for the conference were development and inequalities.
Closed Breakfast Meeting of Health Attaches (25th November 2016)
The week came to an end with the traditional closed breakfast meeting for Health Attaches which this year was hosted by the Permanent Representations of Malta and Norway. The meeting, at which 22 Health Attaches participated, was also attended by the AWARH partners. Presentations were given by Susanne Løgstrup of the European Heart Network and Eurocare's Aleksandra Kaczmarek. A lively discussion on the implications of the revision of the AVMSD followed the presentations.
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