The Swedish EU Presidency hosted a conference in Stockholm last month on the impact of alcohol advertising, during which the country’s public health minister set out the six-month presidency’s strategy on the issue – and particularly the effects of marketing communications on young people. The issue will be fully reviewed in December.

The conference was attended by officials from many EU member states and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as industry representatives and academics, FEDMA reports (Federation of European Direct and Interactive Marketing).

During the conference, NGOs called for a tobacco-like ban on alcohol advertising and marketing communications on the grounds that they promote a positive image of drinking alcohol and encourage children and young people to begin alcohol consumption.

The EU can only introduce recommendations but, if the Lisbon treaty is ratified, such ban could be introduced on public health grounds, related to the abuse of alcohol.

The advertising industry was represented by the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) and the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which defended self-regulatory systems throughout the member states.

Academics and NGOs criticised self-regulation as being ‘voluntary’ and inadequate and called for regulatory intervention.