The European Spirits Organisation

The issues

Home pagePrint this pageEmail this pageDefault text sizeLarge text size

Charter on Responsible Alcohol Consumption

Tackling alcohol related harm and alcohol misuse is one of the EU spirits industry's key objectives which it seeks to implement via a host of targeted initiatives. To demonstate in concrete terms how serious the industry is about tackling this problem, the European Spirits Organisation - CEPS adopted a Charter on Responsible Alcohol Consumption in November 2005.

The Charter engulfs a number of key principles:
  • By 2010, 75% of advertising (print including billboards, TV/cinema and website) will carry responsible drinking messages;
  • Members will adhere to and abide by a universal standard on commercial communications and new products on the market will undergo even more intense scrutiny to ensure marketing is carried out responsibly;
  • The industry will increase investment in promoting Retail and Server Training Schemes and drink driving programmes;
  • The industry will work with other stakeholders to define clearly what is meant by sensible drinking levels and then communicate the information widely.
In addition to these principles enshrined in the Charter, the European Spirits Organisation - CEPS committed to present an annual public report on industry progress on its implementation, the first report of which was assured by KPMG Sustainability and was officially unveiled on 22 November 2006 at the organisation's 'Alcohol-related harm conference'. (The ceps charter progress report 2006 (open in new window) 'First year progress report 2006' (PDF Size - 1.36 MB) on implementation of the CEPS Charter and a copy of the presentation eelco van ravenswaaij 22 nov 06 (open in new window) presentation delivered by Eelco van Ravenswaaij (PDF Size - 1.16 MB) , Chairman of the European Spirits Organisation - CEPS Social Aspects Standing Committee, are also available).

Over the course of the next 12 months, the industry focused on helping those national associations in countries where there has been hitherto little or no tradition or structure of self-regulatory mechanisms, so that all members reach the 2010 commitments the industry has set itself. The (open in new window) 'Second year progress report (PDF Size - 1.88 MB) ' was published on 28 November 2007, and the (open in new window) Drinks Industry Initiatives Brochure 2007 (PDF Size - 1.22 MB) , jointly produced with EFRD, setting out the type and number of key industry initiatives across the EU, is also now available.

Download the European Spirits Organisation - CEPS press release (PDF Size - 23 KB) and view the CEPS Charter (PDF Size - 516 KB) on Responsible Alcohol Consumption (EN version). (The Charter is also available in DE (PDF Size - 20 KB) , ES (PDF Size - 19 KB) , FR (PDF Size - 19 KB) ).