Brussels17 March 2011

Michael Hübel European Commission

Health & Consumers DG

What is not on the bottle

Commission input

Labelling

Ingredients?Energy content? Warning labels? Unit size? Regulatory/voluntary?

Consumer labelling of alcoholic beverages

Regulation at EU level

Regulations on labelling foodstuffs1)

- inform and protect consumers

Regulations specific to alcoholic beverages2)

- inform consumers, protect interests of manufacturers

Voluntary labelling initiatives

1. 2000/13/EC2. Spirits: EC 110/2008; aromatized wines: EEC 1601/91, EEC 122/94; wines:

1493/1999/CE, 2002/753/CE, EC 316/2004, EC 479/2008, EC 491/2009, EC 607/2009

EU Alcohol and Health Strategy five priority themes

Protect young people children and unborn child

Reduce injuries and death from alcohol related accidents

Alcohol related harm at workplace

Inform educate and raise awareness on the impact of harmful hazardous alcohol consumption

Develop and maintain a common evidence base at ET

EU Alcohol and Health Forum- Voluntary warnings – some examples

Pregnancy-related risksPernod-Ricard 2006

Implementation by 2008

Pregnancy, drink driving and sales to underage

SABMiller, 2008 revised policy on commercial communication

National warning and information initiatives

France 2007pregnancy-related risks

Germany 2004age limit for “alcopops”

UK Government/industry voluntary agreement 2007

UnitsLower-risk guidelinesPregnancy-related risks

Opportunities for further voluntary action?

Alcohol units: units / grams / centilitres?UK “unit” = 8gDanish “genstand” = 12gAustrian “Standardglas” = 20g

Depending on outcome of food information discussion:

Energy content: kcal or kJ in standard amountSpecific ingredients in alcoholic energy drinks or mixers

Opportunities for further voluntary action?More information on pregnancy-related risks

Across the EUAcross all productsBetter visibilityMore information content

Alerting to risk Risks of accidents and injuries

Drink-drivingWork, sports etc. – rotating warningsRisks of mixing with certain medications

To increase reach and impact: similar warnings in

Retail shops, pubs, bars and other alcohol outlets

Context of the review

Simplification and modernisationInformed choices – safe, healthy dietMaking the labels efficient

what information is needed and used?how should it be presented?

Protection of the internal market

COMMISSION PROPOSAL FOR A REGULATION ON THE PROVISION OF FOOD INFORMATION TO

CONSUMERS (COM(2008) 40 FINAL)

Some of the targeted Issues

SimplificationGeneral principlesLegibility of labelNon-prepacked foodOrigin labelling Alcoholic beveragesNutrition information

Legibility – Commission proposalMinimum font size of 3mm

Significant contrast between print and background

Voluntary information not to be displayed to the detriment of the space available for mandatory information

Exemption from minimum font size for packs with a largest surface of <10cm2

First Reading Opinions - legibility

EP (June 2010) COUNCIL

(February 2011)Deletes requirements for a minimum font size

Maintain principle of a minimum font size

Introduces a definition of legibility

Introduces criteria to determine the minimum font size

Requires the Commission to adopt Guidelines on legibility

Other aspects of legibility to be identified

Coverage of Alcoholic beverages – Commission proposal

Alcoholic drinks, including ready to drink mixtures, to include full ingredient list and nutrition informationDerogations for beer, wine and spirits pending a review by the Commission to determine suitable labelling of these foods after 5 years of the entry into force of the Regulation

EP first reading opinion – alcoholic beverages

Excludes all alcoholic beverages from: ingredient list and

nutrition information

Council first reading position – alcoholic beverages

Extends the Commission’s proposed list of exemptions of alcoholic drinks to competitive products (e.g. cider, mead)

Next steps

Codecision procedure - Adoption by European Parliament and the CouncilTransition

3 years after the entry into force

Commission report on alcohol labelling after 5 years

Further info

DG Health & Consumers websitehttp://ec.europa.eu/health http://ec.europa.eu/health/alcohol/policy/index_en.htm

EU Information System on Alcohol and Healthhttp://apps.who.int/globalatlas/default.asp

EU Public Health Portalhttp://health.europa.eu