WRITTEN QUESTION No. 817/99 by Gerardo FERNÁNDEZ-ALBOR Community campaign against alcohol abuse amongst young people
Date: 1999-04-06
Institutions: European Parliament, FERNANDEZ ALBOR
Subjects: advertising, alcoholism, disaffection of young people, health policy, marketing restriction, public awareness campaign, public health, young person

29.11.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 341/145

(1999/C 341/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0817/99

by Gerardo Fernández-Albor (PPE) to the Commission

(6 April 1999)

Subject: Community campaign against alcohol abuse amongst young people

The message in the figures showing a rise in alcohol abuse amongst young people is so abundantly that it
cannot fail to cause the deepest concern. The statistics reveal that the daily alcohol intake of 3 % of people aged
between 15 and 30 is excessive, whilst the corresponding figures for weekends are three times as high.

Whilst the European Union has conducted highly effective information campaigns against other forms of
abuse, such as smoking, there would now appear to be an urgent need to alert young people to the fact that
alcohol abuse is as harmful to one’s health as the wholesale addiction to drugs or other substances.

Does the Commission believe that it ought to propose a campaign to Member States against alcohol abuse
amongst young people which, besides encouraging them to give up alcohol, would help rehabilitate young
people addicted to alcohol, offer them alternative leisure activities and generate health awareness which
changes modern society’s excessively tolerant attitude to alcohol consumption amongst young people?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(6 May 1999)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that this is a matter of importance. The Commission is
paying the utmost attention to this very issue in the context of Health promoting schools, a European network
which covers all Member States and involves over 5 000 schools.

In addition, the Commission is preparing a proposal for a Council recommendation on alcohol consumption
by children and adolescents in which special attention will be given to raising the awareness of the effects of
alcoholic drinks on children and adolescents, to strengthening the appropriate health promotion efforts
targeted at these age groups, and to calling upon producers and retailers of alcoholic beverages to enforce
regulatory or self-regulatory control of the promotion, marketing and retailing of alcoholic products.

(1999/C 341/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0820/99

by Odile Leperre-Verrier (ARE) to the Commission

Subject: Future of medical gynaecology

(6 April 1999)

Can the Commission indicate whether, as a result of the harmonisation of medical specialisms, medical
gynaecology, as practised in France, is likely to disappear?

Should not, rather, this specialism be extended to the whole of Europe, given its importance for women’s
health?

This specialism which complements obstetric gynaecology, which is more technical and interventionist
because geared towards deliveries and surgery, allows:

6 contraception,

6 prevention of certain cancers

6 treatment of STD

to be treated more effectively and for women to receive a more sympathetic hearing for their problems.