As per Article 168 of the consolidated EU Treaty, the European Union is entitled to adopt measures aimed at ensuring human health protection, including measures to protect public health from alcohol abuse. Since most legislative power in this area is left in the hands of Member States, the EU’s role is however subsidiary and mainly consists in supporting the efforts of Member States and helping them formulate and implement coordinated objectives and strategies.
In this framework, the European Commission adopted in 2006 the EU Strategy to support Members States in reducing alcohol-related harm, which led to the creation of the European Alcohol and Health Forum (EAHF), a platform gathering EU stakeholders committed to reducing alcohol-related harm through concrete actions and commitments.
As a founding member of the EAHF, CEEV led the European wine sector to materialize its firm commitment to encourage responsible and moderate wine drinking as a social and cultural norm, and developed the “Wine in Moderation” programme, which came to life in 2008. Placed under the international coordination of the WIM Association since 2011, the Wine in Moderation programme is now implemented in 26 countries worldwide.
One of the key pillars of the Wine in Moderation programme with which CEEV closely collaborates is the Wine Information Council (WIC), a unique partnership between scientific and academic experts and organizations committed to promoting a moderate and responsible consumption of wine. Created in 2009 in response to the need for broader dissemination of research on the health, social and cultural aspects of wine drinking in Europe, WIC aims mainly at facilitating dialogue and making available relevant, unbiased, credible and sound scientific information.
At international level, CEEV also monitors the works of the World Health Organization (WHO), with a special focus on the WHO Global Strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, endorsed by WHO Member States in 2010, and on the 2022-2030 action plan for the implementation of the Global Alcohol Strategy, currently under development at WHO level.
CEEV's priorities
- To defend the legitimate place of a moderate and responsible consumption of wine, as part of a healthy lifestyle, in our societies;
- To lead the wine sector’s commitment to contributing to the reduction of alcohol-related harm by promoting the Wine in Moderation programme and encouraging its implementation at national level;
- To promote sensible, proportionate and effective policies contributing to reducing harmful use of alcohol at international, European and national levels, and avoid unjustified, disproportionate and arbitrary restrictions that lead to all consumers being penalized, including the vast majority who drink wine responsibly and moderately, instead of targeting excessive drinkers.
- To contribute to the publication and dissemination of unbiased scientific research on the benefits of a moderate consumption of wine.