In the EU, alcohol is primarily treated as an economic commodity

In EU policies, alcoholic beverages are primarily treated as economic commodities. For example: the production of wine receives €1.5 billion worth of support yearly through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (Anderson & Baumberg, 2006).

Alcohol consumption is a growing public health issue in the EU

First EU Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy adopted in 2006

In October 2006, the European Commission adopted the first Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy (COM(2006) 625). It identifies good practices which have led to 'positive results' and areas where further progress could be made. Among other outcomes, it led to the establishment of the Alcohol and Health Forum in June 2007 (EU press release IP/07/774). Both NGO’s, and commercial interest parties, such as breweries can participate in the Forum. The European Parliament adopted a resolution in which it welcomes the strategy, but calls upon the Commission to formulate 'ambitious general objectives for the Member States with a view to curbing hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption' (EP, 2007). See EU priorities in the Strategy on alcohol for the priorities that are identified in the Strategy.

The EU Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy faced a lot of resistance

The EU Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy faced a lot of resistance as it was being prepared. Especially alcohol industry organizations were opposed to it and argued that EU Member States should only have national policies (Kubosova, 2005). The Brewers of Europe sponsored a report on alcohol consumption in Europe, and used it to support this claim (Weinberg Group, 2006). This report was published almost at the same time as the EU funded Alcohol in Europe report, which the EU Strategy is partly based upon.