Under Eurocare’s leadership, 68 international, European and National NGOs (including EPHA) joined forces to call for a comprehensive Alcohol Policy Strategy in the European Union 2013-2020.
The current EU Alcohol Strategy is due to end in 2012. 68 NGOs going much beyond health-related organisations, sent an open letter to Ministers of Health in Europe to acknowledge the need for a comprehensive alcohol policy framework.
The Committee on National Alcohol Policy and Action is meeting on 17th November and signatories urge experts you to put forward a request to the European Commission for a future European Alcohol Strategy 2013 – 2020.
– List of signatories
– To sign and support the letter
– Eurocare press release
Facts and figures
– Alcohol is the world’s number one risk factor for ill-health and premature death amongst the 25-59 year old age group, a core of the working age population. Europe is the heaviest drinking region of the world. Consumption levels in some countries are around 2.5 times higher than the global average (WHO 2009).
– Alcohol abuse is one of the 4 risk factors for developing Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as cancer (1 in 3 European will get cancer in the coming years) and cardiovascular disease.
– The World Economic Forum’s 2010 Global Risks Report identifies non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as the second most severe threat to the global economy in terms of likelihood and potential economic loss. NCDs are a global risk equal in cost to the current global financial crisis.
– NCDs account for 86% of deaths globally, cardio-vascular diseases alone cost the EU economy €192 billion a year; similarly diabetes type II affects nearly 10% of entire adult population and costs €166 billion annually.
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