On the recommendation of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO), EASL is applying for membership of the European Alcohol and Health Forum. The Forum, established in 2007 as a cornerstone of the implementation of the EU's alcohol strategy, provides a common platform for stakeholders, including industry and health NGOs, to demonstrate their commitment to reducing alcohol-related harm in Europe.

As EASL prepares to go through the formal application process, EU Policy Councillor, Prof. Dominique Valla, was invited to attend the latest meeting of the Forum on 12 November as an observer. The meeting, chaired by Robert Madelin, Director General of DG SANCO, focused on a range of issues including the marketing and pricing of alcohol. EASL's membership of the Forum was also provisionally accepted by the existing members pending EASL's formal application and registration of commitments.

EASL's membership of the Forum will be part of a wider programme of activities in Brussels  intended to raise awareness of the impact of alcohol consumption on the prevalence of liver disease and to highlight the need for targeted EU policy action.

More information about the European Alcohol and Health Forum is available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/alcohol/Forum/alcohol_forum_en.htm