6.H. Round table: How can the public health community contribute to better alcohol policies through trade law?
Authors:   Organised by: EUPHA-LAW, EUPHA-GH, EUPHA-FN, WHO/Europe, Essex University (UK), Liverpool University (UK), Eurocare (Belgium), Maynooth University (Ireland),   Chair persons: Sheila Gilheany (Ireland)
Published: October 2023

Alcohol is a causal factor in more than 200 disorders, communicable and injuries. Harms results at even relatively low levels of consumption, and it is estimated that alcohol use causes 3 million deaths globally each year. In parallel to the ever-growing evidence on alcohol-related harm, evidence also continues to accumulate on the effectiveness of policy interventions which tackle the commercial determinants of alcohol consumption, not least on labelling, marketing, pricing and availability. While it is imperative that States introduce national measures to tackle alcohol harms, alcohol is not merely an issue of national policy as it is manufactured, marketed, bought and sold across borders. The WHO Global Alcohol Strategy illustrates the importance of regulation in contributing to the development of robust, comprehensive interventions to tackle alcohol use. However, what States can do at the national level is constrained by international rules. In particular, international trade law under the World Trade Organization is often invoked in opposing national rules. This litigation can result in expensive, time-consuming and distracting disputes with no certainty of winning. Even before policies are challenged, ‘regulatory chill’ often results in preventing, watering down and delaying policies. This is unfortunate not least because many policies, if framed correctly, could be defended successfully.

The objectives of this roundtable workshop are to:

1. To understand the relationship which trade law has with national and regional alcohol policies.

2. To explore how various stakeholders can contribute to the development rules which are not constrained by international trade law.

Five short 5-minute presentations will be mixed with discussions. The first presentation sets the scene through giving an overview of the existing developments of alcohol policies in Europe and the context States find themselves in. The second presentation explores the role of WHO and the work it is undertaking, as well as the interventions envisaged by the WHO Global strategy, Global action plan and the European framework. The third presentation will discuss the various policies which have been discussed in international trade law forums by States, and the roles some States have played in promoting or challenging proposals by other States. The fourth presentation will continue the discussions on trade law by showing how policies can progress through increased recognition on the right to know and efforts to grant this right through standardising alcohol labelling internationally. The fifth presentation will reflects on the work by civil society in promoting more effective policies and the barriers faced from the alcohol industry in particular. The workshop will be moderated by the chair, who will draw on links and common themes and facilitate discussions between panellists, and between the panel and members of the public health community in the audience.

Key messages

• Trade law has a significant impact on national alcohol policies.

• Trade law barriers can be overcome through effective strategies.