Chair,

Director-General,

Members of the Executive Board,

Colleagues,

I am speaking on behalf of the European Union and its Member States on agenda item 7h, on the Draft action plan (2022–2030) to effectively implement the global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol as a public health priority.

The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia[1] and Albania[1] and the EFTA country Iceland align themselves with this statement.

We thank the secretariat for the draft action plan, which is a result of an extensive 2-year effort to provide the member states with guidance for implementing a very important strategy. At EB146, the EU co-sponsored the decision that led to this action plan. The EU recognizes harmful use of alcohol as an important risk factor for the development of Non-Communicable Diseases and other health and social issues, the prevalence of which correlates with alcohol consumption. It is also a priority prevention area in the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.

We particularly welcome the plan to increasing capacity building efforts and the technical assistance to be provided to Member States on their request by the WHO on the Best Buy policies, inter alia on taxation and marketing policies.

We note that there are many proposed measures in the action plan for the economic operators in alcohol production and trade. We also note that the WHO may organise regular dialogues with the industry on their role in reducing the harmful use of alcohol, while ensuring, in line with FENSA, the prevention of undue influence and/or conflict of interest when developing alcohol policy options. We also suggest that WHO develops a standalone document made available to Member states to provide guidance when engaging with alcohol industry. Overall, the WHO and Member States must maintain their focus on science and evidence-based policy measures.

We hope that the action plan will be impactful and propose that the WHO Governing Bodies discuss the results up to 2030 at regular intervals.

I thank you.

[1] The Republic of North Macedonia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.