Final report on the Regional consultation on the implementation of the WHO European Action Plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol (‎2012 – 2020)‎: Prague, Czech Republic, 30 September – 1 October 2019

Overview

Harmful use of alcohol is among the leading risk factors for poor health and mortality in the WHO European Region, responsible for around one million deaths in 2016. Eight years after endorsement of the WHO European action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 2012 – 2020, the European Region still has the highest alcohol per capita consumption and prevalence of alcohol related harm in the world. Regional consultations with Member States and civil society in early 2019 highlighted the need to strengthen implementation of the European action plan. To this end, a Zero draft Roadmap of actions to strengthen implementation of the WHO European Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol was developed, focusing on four priority areas. This report summarizes a further regional consultation on the implementation of the European action plan and the draft roadmap, involving representatives of 33 Member States, which was held in Prague, Czech Republic, 30 September - 1 October 2019. The consultation highlighted the diversity across the Region, with countries differing greatly in their stage of implementation of policies to reduce harmful use of alcohol, and identified many common challenges and difficulties. Participants confirmed the draft roadmap provides very useful guidance to boost implementation in key areas. The importance of the four proposed implementation priorities (‎pricing, availability, marketing and health information)‎ was validated, and the inclusion of two further priorities (‎health service response and community action)‎ was proposed. In addition, further recommendations for the way forward were proposed, with a view to strengthening Member States’ efforts to reduce harmful use of alcohol and protect people and societies from alcohol-related harm.