EC commissions report from group with temperance links

The alcohol industry is up in arms as authors with links to the temperance movement have submitted a report on alcohol to the European Commission.

The Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS), which has been paid over a quarter of a million euros by the EC for the report, was part of the Alliance House Foundation when the report was commissioned back in 2003. Alliance House defines its mission as being "to spread the principles of total abstinence from alcoholic drinks".

The industry fears the worst as the report paints a negative picture of alcohol and is heavily focused on problems and misuse, which will be used to frame Europe's alcohol strategy.

It says 23 million Europeans are alcoholics and that alcohol causes 16 per cent of child abuse and 2,000 murders every year. The report also says that extended opening hours of pubs and bars has lead to an increase in violence.

Mark Hastings, director of communications at the British Beer & Pub Association said: "This is akin to getting the Vegetarian society to write a report on the effects of meat eating. This report will be the evidence base used by the EU to frame the European alcohol strategy. One would have thought that due to the importance of this report it would be independent rather than a somewhat partial, temperance movement view of the world. What would the IAS have said if an industry group had been given the EU contract?"

The report, which is due to be published in June, will be followed up by a Commission alcohol strategy later in the year.

But Andrew McNeil of the IAS refuted claims of foul play. "There was meeting after meeting where people were given the opportunity to put forward their comments on the report, including representatives from the alcohol industry. Every comment was taken into consideration," he said.