European Comparative Alcohol Study Europe and Alcohol Policy Thomas Karlsson & Esa Österberg National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health Alcohol and Drug Research Group P.O.BO 220 FIN-00531 Helsinki Finland
European Comparative Alcohol Study (ECAS) was launched in August 1998 with the financial aid of the European Commission DG V Employment, Industrial Relations and Social Affairs. The study period was 1950-2000 and the study consisted all member states of the European Union as of 1998, and Norway, here called the ECAS countries. The ECAS project produced country descriptions of alcohol policies published in: Österberg, E. & Karlsson, T. (Eds)(2002) Alcohol Policies in EU Member States and Norway. A Collection of Country Reports (Helsinki, Stakes). The country reports were produced in collaboration with national contact persons. One tool constructed in the ECAS project was a quantitative scale measuring the strictness and comprehensiveness of alcohol control policies.
The ECAS scale for measuring the strictness of alcohol control policies CONTROL OF PRODUCTION AND WHOLES ALE 1. State monopoly for the production or wholesale of Spirits (1 p.) Wine (1 p.) Beer (1 p.) 2. No production or wholesale monopolies but a licence is required for the production or wholesale of alcoholic beverages (1 p.) CONTROL OF DIS TRIBUTION 3. State monopoly for off- or on-premise retail sales of Spirits (1 p.) Wine (1 p.) Beer (1 p.) 4. No monopoly for off- or on-premise retail sales of alcoholic beverages but an alcohol specific licence is needed for off- or on-premise retail sales of alcoholic beverages (1 p.) 5. Special restrictions on sales days and hours in offpremise retail sales of alcoholic beverages (1 p.) 6. Other special restrictions on off-premise sales of alcoholic beverages (1 p.) 7. Special restrictions on sales days and hours in onpremise retail sales of alcoholic beverages (1 p.) 8. Other special restrictions on on-premise sales of alcoholic beverages (1 p.) PERS ONAL CONTROL 9. Legal age limit for off-premise sales at least 20 for some alcoholic beverages (1½ p.) 18 for some alcoholic beverages (1 p.) 16 for some alcoholic beverages (½ p.) 10. Legal age limit for on-premise sales at least 20 for some alcoholic beverages (1½ p.) 18 for some alcoholic beverages (1 p.) 16 for some alcoholic beverages (½ p.) CONTROL OF MARKETING 11. Restrictions on alcohol advertising: Statutory control (2 p.) Voluntary code (1 p.) S OCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS 12. Drunk driving: BAC 0.05% or less (3 p.) BAC 0.08% or less (2 p.) BAC more than 0.08 % (1 p.) PUBLIC POLICY 13. National alcohol prevention programme or agency (1 p.) 14. National alcohol education programme or agency (1 p.)
Excise taxes on alcoholic beverages in the ECAS countries according to beverage categories in July 2000, Euros per litre alcohol Distilled Intermediate spirits products Wine Beer EU minimum rate 5.50 2.50 0.00 1.87 Italy 6.45 2.75 0.00 3.50 Spain 6.85 2.55 0.00 1.68 Portugal 8.14 2.63 0.00 2.81 Greece 9.45 2.60 0.00 2.92 Austria 10.03 4.04 0.00 5.21 Germany 13.04 8.52 0.00 1.97 France 14.50 11.86 0.30 2.59 Netherlands 15.04 4.71 4.43 4.26 Belgium 16.61 5.51 4.28 4.28 Ireland 27.62 22.01 24.82 19.87 United Kingdom 30.10 17.59 21.59 18.30 Denmark 36.99 7.88 8.62 9.30 Finland 50.46 39.24 21.41 28.59 Sweden 57.35 28.70 28.28 16.81
The strictness and comprehensiveness of alcohol control policies in 15 European countries, 1950 and 2000 20 18 14.5 16.5 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Spain 0 10 12.5 1 1 France Portugal 8 2 7 Greece Austria Denmark 7 8.5 8 4 4 4 11.5 13 6 6 7 13 Germany Belgium Netherlands Italy Ireland 12 13 8 8 United Kingdom Finland 17 17.5 Sweden 1950 2000
The strictness and comprehensiveness of alcohol control policies in the ECAS countries according to subgroups of alcohol control, 1950 and 2000 3 2,5 2.9 2.8 2.7 2 1,5 1 1.2 1.3 1.8 1.7 1.5 1950 2000 0,5 0.9 0.6 0.5 0 Control and production of wholesale Control of distribution Personal control 0.3 Control of marketing Social and environmental control Public policy
The limitations of a quantitative scale: Measures only formal alcohol control. Cannot (in practice) be comprehensive. Does not take into consideration how effectively different laws and regulations are enforced. Measures alcohol control on a national level.
Control of off-premise retail sales of alcoholic beverages in the ECAS countries in the year 2002 State Monopoly Licence No licence Austria Belgium Denmark Finland W, S B France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Netherlands Norway W, S B Portugal Spain Sweden W, S B United Kingdom (B - Beer, W - Wine, S - Spirits)
Control of on-premise retail sales of alcoholic beverages in the ECAS countries in the year 2002 State Monopoly Licence No licence Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden United Kingdom (B - Beer, W - Wine, S - Spirits)
Age limits for on- and off-premise sales of alcoholic beverages in the ECAS countries in the year 2002 Off-premise On-premise Beer Wine Spirits Beer Wine Spirits Austria 16 16 18 16 16 18 Belgium - - 18 16 16 18 Denmark 15 15 15 18 18 18 Finland 18 18 20 18 18 18 France 16 16 16 16 16 16 Germany 16 16 18 16 16 18 Greece - - 18 - - 18 Ireland 18 18 18 18 18 18 Italy 16 16 16 16 16 16 Netherlands 16 16 18 16 16 18 Norway 18 18 20 18 18 20 Portugal - - - 16 16 16 Spain 16 16 16 16 16 16 Sweden 18 20 20 18 18 18 United Kingdom 18 18 18 16 16 18
Primary form of regulation for alcohol advertisement and sponsorship in the ECAS countries in the year 2002 Statutory control Voluntary control No regulation Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden United Kingdom
Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limits in traffic in the ECAS countries in the year 2002, in percent (%). BAC-limit (%) Austria 0.05 Belgium 0.05 Denmark 0.05 Finland 0.05 France 0.05 Germany 0.05 Greece 0.05 Ireland 0.08 Italy 0.05 Netherlands 0.05 Norway 0.02 Portugal 0.02 Spain 0.05 Sweden 0.02 United Kingdom 0.08
The existence of national alcohol prevention and education programmes in the ECAS countries in the year 2002 National alcohol prevention programme National alcohol education programme Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Netherlands Norway Portugal Spain Sweden United Kingdom