MEPs have called on the European Commission to introduce mandatory labelling of calories for alcoholic drinks by 2016 as part of a broader EU strategy on alcohol prevention.
At a vote taken at the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg on Wednesday, MEPs backed a proposal urging the EU’s executive arm to table a legislative proposal by 2016.
Alcohol abuse is estimated to cost the European Union more than €150 billion each year and is the third- leading cause of preventable premature death and disease.
According to the latest EU-wide information available, Ireland has the second-highest level of alcohol consumption per capita in the European Union.
Comparative figures for 2010 place Ireland just behind Lithuania for alcohol consumption with Irish adults consuming almost 13 litres of pure alcohol per adult during that year.
Italy had the lowest rate of alcohol consumption, at just over 6 litres of alcohol per person, followed by Sweden and Malta.
The introduction of mandatory labelling of nutritional information on alcoholic drinks was the key strand of the proposal agreed on Wednesday in Strasbourg.
Source: Suzanne Lynch, Irish Times, 29/04/15
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