Making the WHO European Region SAFER: developments in alcohol control policies, 2010–2019

Abstract

This report presents the current status of alcohol consumption, alcohol-attributable harms and the implementation of alcohol control policies in the WHO European Region, using available data from 2010, 2016 and 2019. A detailed overview is provided of the implementation of alcohol policies described in the 10 action areas of the European Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol 2012–2020 (‎EAPA)‎, including the current status of implementation of the five action areas of the WHO-led SAFER initiative: (‎1)‎ Strengthen restrictions on alcohol availability; (‎2)‎ Advance and enforce drink–driving countermeasures; (‎3)‎ Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions and treatment; (‎4)‎ Enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotion; and (‎5)‎ Raise prices on alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies. Finally, the report analyses progress in policy implementation in the period 2016–2019, using the WHO alcohol policy composite indicators, which were developed to measure alcohol policy implementation in the 10 EAPA action areas.