The issues
CEPS Charter on Responsible Alcohol Consumption
Reducing alcohol related harm is one of the EU spirits industry's key objectives which it seeks to implement via a host of targeted initiatives. To demonstrate its commitment to the fight against alcohol misuse' the European Spirits Organisation - CEPS adopted its Charter on Responsible Alcohol Consumption in November 2005.
The Charter comprises seven key principles:
- Advertising to include responsible drinking messages: By 2010' 75% of members' advertising (print including billboards' TV/cinema and website) will carry responsible drinking messages;
- Introduce codes of conduct on marketing of spirit drinks: Members fully adhere to and abide by a universal standard on commercial communications;
- Responsible product development: New products on the market will undergo even more intense scrutiny to ensure marketing is carried out responsibly;
- Fight underage drinking: Members will work closely with national authorities in ensuring that minimum purchasing age legislation is enforced;
- Fight drinking and driving: Members will continue to work with national authorities in ensuring the dangers of drinking and driving are widely communicated;
- Inform about responsible drinking: The industry will work with other stakeholders to define clearly what is meant by sensible drinking levels and then communicate the information widely;
- Publish progress reports: The European Spirits Organisation - CEPS will annually review and report publicly on the progress of implementation of this Charter.
The first annual Charter progress report was officially presented on 22 November 2006 at the CEPS conference on alcohol related harm.
The second Charter progress report covered the period July 2006 to July 2007 and was published together with the Drinks Industry Initiatives Brochure 2007. The latter' jointly produced with the European Forum for Responsible Drinking (EFRD)' maps all key industry initiatives across the EU in detail.
The third Charter report 2007-2008' presented on 25 November 2008' documents further implementation progress on the Charter commitments.
The fourth Charter report 2008-2009' published on 17 November 2009' provides information on the latest EU initiatives. For example' in Germany' the German Spirits Association (BSI) agreed to include a RDM in all Commercial Communications; codes were revised in Sweden' Germany and Scotland; and new consumer information websites were launched in Austria' Hungary' Portugal' Poland and Germany - all can be seen via the EU portal www.responsibledrinking.eu.
Together with the EFRD' CEPS assists its members in countries where there has been hitherto little or no tradition or structure of self-regulatory mechanisms' in order to ensure that all members reach the 2010 commitments the industry has set itself. In addition to providing templates for websites and education campaigns' as well as a Charter implementation toolkit' in June 2009 in Bulgaria' the European Spirits Organisation - CEPS also organised its third Charter implementation seminar targeted at member associations and companies from the new EU countries.
Related links:
European Spirits Organisation - CEPS Charter press release (2 December 2005)
European Spirits Organisation - CEPS Charter on Responsible Alcohol Consumption. Other available languages: French' German and Spanish.
- European Forum for Responsible Drinking (EFRD)
- EFRD Common Standards on commercial communications
- Drinks Industry Initiatives Brochure 2008 (List of European industry activities to tackle alcohol related harm).
Last updated on 18 November 2009.
