Ilmoituksen tiedot

Alkoholijuomien mainontaa koskeva kuninkaallinen asetus

Ilmoituksen numero:

2026/0161/BE (Belgium)

Saapumispäivä:

30/03/2026

Odotusajan päättyminen:

01/07/2026 (01/10/2026)

:n lähettämät huomautukset:

Spain

European Commission

:n lähettämä yksityiskohtainen lausunto:

Romania

Slovakia

Italy

France

Luonnosteksti:

FR BG HR CS DA EN ET FI GA DE EL HU IT LV LT MT PL PT RO SK SL ES SV NL

Tulostettava versio sivusta

Message

Viesti 001

Komission tiedonanto - TRIS/(2026) 0953

Direktiivi (EU) 2015/1535

Ilmoitus: 2026/0161/BE

Jäsenvaltion ilmoitus luonnostekstistä

Notification – Notification – Notifzierung – Нотификация – Oznámení – Notifikation – Γνωστοποίηση – Notificación – Teavitamine – Ilmoitus – Obavijest – Bejelentés – Notifica – Pranešimas – Paziņojums – Notifika – Kennisgeving – Zawiadomienie – Notificação – Notificare – Oznámenie – Obvestilo – Anmälan – Fógra a thabhairt

Does not open the delays - N'ouvre pas de délai - Kein Fristbeginn - Не се предвижда период на прекъсване - Nezahajuje prodlení - Fristerne indledes ikke - Καμμία έναρξη προθεσμίας - No abre el plazo - Viivituste perioodi ei avata - Määräaika ei ala tästä - Ne otvara razdoblje kašnjenja - Nem nyitja meg a késéseket - Non fa decorrere la mora - Atidėjimai nepradedami - Atlikšanas laikposms nesākas - Ma jiftaħx il-perijodi ta’ dewmien - Geen termijnbegin - Nie otwiera opóźnień - Não inicia o prazo - Nu deschide perioadele de stagnare - Nezačína oneskorenia - Ne uvaja zamud - Inleder ingen frist - Ní osclaíonn sé na moilleanna

MSG: 20260953.FI

1. MSG 001 IND 2026 0161 BE FI 30-03-2026 BE NOTIF

2. Belgium

3A. SPF Economie, PME, Classes moyennes et Energie
Direction générale Qualité et Sécurité - Service Bureau de Liaison - BELNotif
NG III – 2ème étage
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 16
B - 1000 Bruxelles
Tel: 02/277.53.36
be.belnotif@economie.fgov.be

3B. Service public fédéral Santé publique, Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire et Environnement
Direction Générale Animaux, Végétaux et Alimentation
Service inspection produits de consommation
Avenue Galilée 5/2, 1210 Bruxelles, Belgique

4. 2026/0161/BE - C51A - Juomat

5. Alkoholijuomien mainontaa koskeva kuninkaallinen asetus

6. Alkoholia sisältävät juomat

7.

8. Tämän kuninkaallisen asetuksen tarkoituksena on
- kieltää alkoholijuomien mainonta medioissa, jotka on ensisijaisesti suunnattu alaikäisille,
- ottaa käyttöön kielto tarjota alkoholijuomia ilmaiseksi, paitsi alkoholijuomien ostamisen yhteydessä ja maistiaisten aikana,
- edellyttää terveysvaroituksen sisällyttämistä kaikkiin alkoholijuomamainoksiin,
- määrittää tämän kuninkaallisen asetusluonnoksen rikkomusten tutkinta, toteaminen, syytteeseenpano ja seuraamukset,

Nämä säännökset perustuvat haitallista alkoholinkäyttöä koskevaan liittovaltion eri tasojen yhteiseen strategiaan 2023–2028 (toimintasuunnitelma 2023–2025), erityisesti kohtiin 14–19 sekä 22 ja 23.

Osa näistä kielloista perustuu alkoholijuomien mainontaa ja markkinointia koskevaan yleissopimukseen (jäljempänä ”yleissopimus”). Niitä ovat 2–6 §. Kieltojen tarkoituksena on suojella alaikäisiä.

Ilmaisulla ”alaikäispainoitteinen yleisö” tarkoitetaan yleisöä, josta vähintään 30 % on alaikäisiä. Vaikka yleisön ikäjakaumaa on vaikea määrittää, voidaan ottaa huomioon muita tekijöitä, kuten viestinnän kokonaisvaikutelma (houkuttelevuus alaikäisille), kielen, muotoilun ja animaation käyttö, pelit ja vapaa-ajan aktiviteetit jne.

Lopuksi tämä kuninkaallinen asetusluonnos ei vaikuta kansainväliseen kauppaan, koska sitä sovelletaan Belgiassa levitettävään mainontaan ja sen tavoitteena on suojella ja tiedottaa belgialaisia kuluttajia.

9. Ottaen huomioon alkoholin käytön vaarat (sydän- ja verisuonitautien riskit, riippuvuus, syöpä, pysyvät vaikutukset aivoihin jne., vaarat, joista ei enää ole epäilystä), erityisesti alaikäisten keskuudessa, sekä sen, että mainonta, joka on nykyään kaikkialla läsnä, vaikuttaa merkittävästi kuluttajiin, erityisesti nuoriin, on tarpeen kieltää alaikäisiin kohdistuva alkoholijuomien mainonta mediassa ja lehdistössä.

On myös tarpeen kieltää alkoholia sisältävien juomien tarjoaminen tietyissä olosuhteissa, jotta kuluttajia ei kannusteta kuluttamaan alkoholijuomaa, jota he eivät ole päättäneet ostaa.
Jotta yleisölle tiedotetaan paremmin alkoholin vaaroista, terveysvaroitusten on oltava pakollisia tämäntyyppisten juomien mainoksissa.

10. Viittaukset perusteksteihin: Perustekstejä ei ole

11. Ei

12.

13. Ei

14. Ei

15. Ei

16.
TBT-näkökohta: Ei

SPS-näkökohta: Ei

**********
Euroopan komissio
Yhteysviranomainen direktiivin (EU) 2015/1535
Sähköposti: grow-dir2015-1535-central@ec.europa.eu

Disclosed messages

message-id	Vuoden	Numero	Valtio	Type	Title	Saapumispäivä	Is answer to

Kielet

Sidosryhmien kommentit

TRIS-verkkosivuston avulla sinä ja organisaatiosi voitte esittää näkemyksenne mistä tahansa ilmoituksesta.

Ilmoituksen tilan tai odotusajan päättymisen vuoksi emme tällä hetkellä hyväksy muita kommentteja tähän ilmoitukseen verkkosivuston kautta.

The draft Royal Decree concerning advertising for alcoholic beverages is incompatible with EU law

On 30 March 2026, Belgium notified a draft Royal Decree concerning advertising for alcoholic beverages to the European Commission under the TRIS procedure. This notification triggers a three-month standstill period during which the draft cannot be adopted. We urge the European Commission to submit a detailed opinion against the draft Royal Decree’s for incompatibility with European law on the following grounds.

Violation of Free Movement of Goods and Services

The draft Royal Decree requires all alcohol advertising to include a mandatory health warning with strict technical and language requirements. This restricts the free movement of goods, as advertising restrictions make market access more difficult for products from other Member States than for domestic products. Foreign companies will have to discontinue, redesign or significantly adapt their advertising campaigns. The language requirements further compound this burden, particularly for companies wishing to advertise throughout Belgium in a non-national language. These restrictions are not appropriate nor proportionate for several reasons. The wording “alcohol is harmful to health” is overly restrictive given the lack of scientific evidence that consumption (not the abuse) of alcohol as such is immediately harmful to health. The strict technical requirements go beyond what is necessary to ensure the visibility of the health message. Furthermore, various provisions (Articles 1 through 7) contain ambiguities creating legal uncertainty and potential for overenforcement.

Violation of the E-Commerce Directive

The country-of-origin principle requires that only the Member State where an online service provider is established may impose restrictions. The draft Royal Decree violates this principle because it applies general restrictions to all companies advertising alcoholic beverages online, rather than targeting individual services.

Violation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive

The draft Royal Decree goes beyond the requirements of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. As media service providers are protected by the country-of-origin principle, the draft Royal Decree restricts services by providers from other Member States in breach of this principle. In addition, it violates Belgium’s obligation to ensure freedom of reception and not to restrict retransmissions on its territory.

Detailed position can be found in the attached file.

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The Brewers of Europe urges Member States and the European Commission to submit detailed opinions in view of the draft Royal Decree’s incompatibility with European law, on the following grounds:

Violation of Free Movement of Goods and Services

Violation of the E-Commerce Directive

Violation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive

See full contribution in attachment.

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While the objective of protecting public health is shared, CEEV identifies five main areas of concern:

I. Contrary to the free movement of goods and services (articles 34 and 56 TFEU)

The draft Royal Decree restricts the free movement of goods and services within the EU, as it applies to all alcohol advertising distributed in Belgium, including by companies established in other Member States. By requiring a mandatory health warning with detailed technical and language requirements across all media, the measure forces companies to redesign or adapt cross-border advertising campaigns, increasing costs and creating barriers to market access, which affect foreign operators more heavily than domestic ones.

According to the case law of the Court of Justice, such rules may constitute measures having equivalent effect to quantitative restrictions under Article 34 TFEU and restrictions on the freedom to provide services under Article 56 TFEU. The obligations are also disproportionate, as the wording of the warning is overly broad, the strict formatting rules go beyond what is necessary, and the language requirements may require multiple versions of the same campaign, particularly in digital contexts where geographic “targeting” is not always possible.

In addition, several provisions lack clarity, including the broad definition of advertising and the concept of content aimed at minors, creating legal uncertainty and a risk of over-enforcement. Overall, the measure is neither appropriate nor strictly necessary to achieve its public health objective and therefore does not comply with EU law.

II. Contrary to the e-commerce directive

The draft Royal Decree infringes the country-of-origin principle established by the E-Commerce Directive. The E-Commerce Directive sets rules for online services in the EU and says that only the country where a company is established can regulate its online activities (the “country-of-origin” principle, article 3). A rule requiring health warnings in online alcohol advertising likely violates this because it restricts cross-border online services and applies broadly to all companies, not just a specific one. While restrictions are allowed for public interest reasons like health, they must be necessary, proportionate, and targeted at a particular service or provider. Here, the measure is too general and unclear, creating legal uncertainty and therefore not meeting the Directive’s conditions for a valid restriction.

III. Contrary the audiovisual media services directive

The Audiovisual Media Services Directive applies to audiovisual and video platform providers, and it also follows the country-of-origin principle, meaning providers only have to comply with the rules of the Member State where they are established (Article 3(1)). The draft Royal Decree’s requirement to include health warnings in all alcohol advertising goes beyond what the Directive requires under Article 9(1)(e), which only focuses on protecting minors and preventing encouragement of excessive consumption. While Member States may adopt stricter rules, these must still comply with EU law and cannot restrict cross-border services. Here, the measure limits the ability of providers from other Member States to offer their services in Belgium.

It also breaches Article 3(1), which requires freedom of reception and prohibits restricting retransmissions of services from other Member States in areas covered by the Directive. Because the rule is broad and applies to all advertising rather than targeting harmful consumption specifically, it is likely disproportionate and therefore not justified.

IV. Lack of proportionality, justification and legal certainty

The draft Royal Decree raises serious proportionality concerns, as the statement “alcohol is harmful to your health” is overly broad and not sufficiently evidence-based in relation to moderate consumption, while the strict technical requirements on size, placement and duration across all media go beyond what is necessary to ensure visibility. In addition, the scope of application is unclear and overly broad, particularly regarding the definition of “advertising”, the notion of content “aimed primarily at minors”, and its application to digital and user-generated content, creating risks of over-enforcement, legal uncertainty and disproportionate compliance burdens.

The draft Royal Decree has not been justified under Article 36 of the TFEU. Article 36 provides that Article 34 shall not preclude measures justified on grounds of, among others, protection of human health. The burden of proof to justify the appropriateness of one of the narrowly construed derogations and mandatory requirements lies with Belgium. Belgium cannot rely on a justification in the abstract but must specifically demonstrate its application by reference to the circumstances of the case. It is also unclear whether the Belgium Government has considered other, less disruptive measures to provide consumers with relevant health information.

V. Risk of inconsistency with EU policy developments

The draft Royal Decree risks conflicting with ongoing EU-level work under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.

The European Commission is currently assessing possible harmonised measures on alcohol-related health information and advertising
Under the principle of sincere cooperation (Article 4(3) TEU), Member States should avoid adopting measures that could conflict with future EU legislation

Premature national action risks fragmentation and duplication, undermining future harmonisation efforts.

IN CONCLUSION

Because of the major concerns identified above, CEEV considers that the Belgian draft regulation should not be adopted in its current form because contrary to the EU law.

In light of the above, CEEV:

calls on the European Commission and EU Member States to issue a detailed opinion under the TRIS procedure;
requests the Belgian authorities to reassess the proportionality and EU law compatibility of the draft Royal Decree and notably postpone its adoption pending EU-level developments.

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Competere submission on Belgium’s TRIS notification 2026/0161/BE: protecting the internal market, proportionality and consumer choice

Competere welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Belgian Draft Royal Decree on the advertising of alcoholic beverages, notified under the TRIS procedure.

While public health is a legitimate objective, the notified measure raises serious concerns regarding its proportionality, its impact on the EU internal market, and its potential effects on consumer choice and fair competition.

Key concerns:

The mandatory health warning “Alcohol is harmful to health” does not distinguish between harmful use, abuse, moderate consumption and responsible consumption.
The measure risks replacing contextual, evidence-based consumer information with a uniform and decontextualised message.
The technical, linguistic and format requirements may create unnecessary barriers to trade and increase compliance costs for companies operating across borders.
These costs are not neutral from a competition perspective: they are more easily absorbed by large incumbents than by SMEs, new entrants and cross-border producers seeking to build brand recognition in the Belgian market.
The proposal may restrict freedom of commercial communication and limit the ability of companies to compete through quality, identity, reputation and responsible consumption messages.
The extension of the measure to digital communication raises concerns regarding legal certainty, cross-border services and the country-of-origin principle.
If replicated by other Member States, the Belgian approach could contribute to regulatory fragmentation within the internal market, creating a patchwork of national warning, language, format and placement requirements.

Competere therefore invites the European Commission to issue a detailed opinion on the Belgian Draft Royal Decree and to request Belgium to reconsider the measure. Public health objectives should be pursued through proportionate, targeted and evidence-based instruments that protect health without creating unnecessary barriers to trade, restricting cross-border services, or undermining consumer choice and fair competition.

See full contribution detailed position attached.

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TRIS Contribution regarding Belgium’s Draft Royal Decree on Alcohol Advertising (2026/0161/BE)

Movendi Sweden and Movendi International
Stockholm, the 25 of May 2026

Movendi International and Movendi Sweden hereby submit observations regarding Belgium’s notified draft Royal Decree concerning advertising for alcoholic beverages.

We welcome and strongly support the Belgian Government’s initiative to improve alcohol advertising policy - in particular measures aimed at protecting children and young people, reducing exposure to alcohol marketing, and improving consumer information through health warnings.

In our assessment, the proposed measures are consistent with the European Union’s legal framework, aligned with the evidence-based alcohol policy measures called for in the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan, and represent a proportionate and necessary policy response to well-documented harms linked with alcohol.

1. Consistency with EU public health objectives Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union requires that a high level of human health protection be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Union policies.

Alcohol consumption remains a leading risk factor for disease, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health disorders. The European Commission’s Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan identifies reducing alcohol-related harm as a key prevention priority, explicitly recognizing the need to address alcohol marketing and improve consumer awareness.

The Belgian proposal directly contributes to these objectives by:

Protecting children and young people from exposure to alcohol advertising in the environments where they grow and develop,
Limiting promotional practices such as free alcohol offers, and
Introducing mandatory health warning messages in alcohol advertising.

Scientific evidence consistently demonstrates that exposure to alcohol marketing influences earlier initiation of alcohol use and increased consumption among young people. Reducing such exposure is therefore a core component of effective alcohol policy. The proposed measures are thus not only compatible with EU public health obligations -they actively contribute to their fulfilment.

2. Protection of children and young people
The protection of minors constitutes a fundamental obligation under EU and international law, including Article 24 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The Belgian draft correctly identifies that alcohol marketing puts children and young people at risk, and establishes safeguards to protect them. In particular, the concept of a “minor audience” and the criteria used to assess whether content appeals to children and young people reflect a modern and necessary understanding of marketing practices, including digital and audiovisual media.

Given the pervasive and increasingly sophisticated nature of alcohol advertising, especially on social media and digital platforms, voluntary or self-regulatory approaches have repeatedly proven insufficient.

Binding regulatory measures, such as those proposed by Belgium, are therefore essential to ensure effective protection of children and young people.

3. Proportionality and justification of advertising restrictions
Under EU law, restrictions on commercial communication may be justified on public health grounds, provided they are proportionate and applied in a consistent and non-discriminatory manner.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has repeatedly acknowledged that Member States enjoy a margin of discretion in determining the level of public health protection they wish to ensure, particularly in areas such as alcohol policy (e.g. Gourmet International Products, C-405/98).

The Belgian proposal meets these criteria:

It targets specific high-risk practices (advertising aimed at minors and promotional incentives),
It does not prohibit all advertising, but introduces targeted restrictions, and
It applies equally to all market operators.

The inclusion of health warning messages further strengthens consumer protection and supports informed decision-making, in line with EU policy developments on transparency and consumer rights.

4. Internal market considerations
The draft Royal Decree does not introduce unjustified barriers to trade within the internal market. Rather, it regulates advertising practices within Belgium in a manner that is non-discriminatory and justified by overriding public health concerns.

The Court of Justice has consistently held that measures restricting marketing and advertising may be justified where they genuinely pursue public health objectives and are applied consistently (e.g. Rosengren, C-170/04; Scotch Whisky Association, C-333/14).

The Belgian measures apply equally to domestic and imported products and therefore do not confer selective advantages to national producers.

Furthermore, harmonisation at EU level in the area of alcohol advertising remains limited. In this context, Member States retain the competence to adopt more comprehensive national rules to protect public health.

5. The need for comprehensive alcohol policy approaches
The Belgian proposal should be seen as part of a broader, evidence-based approach to preventing and reducing alcohol harm.

International public health authorities, including the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, emphasize that effective alcohol policy requires a combination of measures, including:

Restrictions on availability,
Pricing policies, and
Comprehensive marketing regulations.

Among these, restrictions on alcohol marketing are considered one of the “best buys” for preventing harm, particularly among young people.

By adopting a more comprehensive regulatory framework in this area, Belgium demonstrates leadership in implementing evidence-based alcohol policy within the European Union.

Conclusion
Movendi International and Movendi Sweden strongly support Belgium’s notified draft Royal Decree on alcohol advertising. The proposal represents a proportionate, evidence-based, and legally sound measure to protect public health, safeguard children and young people, and improve consumer information.

We respectfully encourage the European Commission to:

Recognize the compatibility of the proposed measures with EU law,
Support Belgium’s efforts to improve alcohol policy, and
Promote similar evidence-based approaches across the European Union.

At this moment, Member States have both the opportunity and the obligation to protect people in Europe from the harmful commercial practices of the alcohol industry. Belgium's draft Royal Decree is decisive action in that direction. We urge the European Commission to recognise it as such, and to support Member States across the Union in upholding the right of every child, every young person, and every adult to grow up and live in healthier environments.

References

Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Article 168.

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Article 24.

European Commission (2021), Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.

Council Conclusions on addressing the health and social harm related to alcohol (2022).

Case C-405/98 Gourmet International Products v Konsumentombudsmannen.

Case C-170/04 Rosengren and Others v Riksåklagaren.

Case C-333/14 Scotch Whisky Association v Lord Advocate.

WHO/Europe & IARC (2025), Alcohol policy effectiveness and cancer prevention.

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Extra input letter EACA – tris procedure alcohol.

European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA)

To: European Commission / Belgian Federal Authorities

Concerning:TRIS Notification 2026/0161/BE – Draft Royal Decree on Advertising for Alcoholic Beverages

Dear Sir/Madam,

The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA), representing more than 2,500 communications agencies and agency associations across 31 countries in Europe, supports efforts to reduce harmful alcohol consumption and protect minors from inappropriate advertising. However, we are deeply concerned that the Belgian Draft Royal Decree, in its current form, introduces unworkable, disproportionate, and unharmonized restrictions that severely threaten the integrity of the European Single Market.

To ensure clarity for consumers and operational efficiency for cross-border services, we submit this enhanced position detailing the structural incompatibilities of the Draft Royal Decree with EU law.

Problematic and Disproportionate Definitions of Advertising vs. AVMSD

The draft decree introduces an overly broad, unprecise definition of advertising as "any communication or act, directly or indirectly intended to promote the sale". This deviates significantly from established EU harmonisation frameworks:

The Inclusion of "Acts" (Handelingen): The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD 2018/1808) strictly regulates "audiovisual commercial communication," limiting its scope to images and sounds. By extending the definition to physical or abstract "acts," the Belgian text creates an unpredictable scope that can inappropriately encompass corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives or non-promotional brand choices.
Violation of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA): The EMFA demands high market predictability. Encompassing arbitrary "acts" or "indirect" intentions without specific boundaries undermines legal certainty. This fragments the single market and triggers clear restrictions on the Free Movement of Services (Article 56 TFEU) and the Free Movement of Goods (Article 34 TFEU). Buitenlandse bureaus kunnen hun standaard Europese campagnes niet langer exporteren naar België zonder zware aanpassingskosten (re-versioning).

Imprecise and Restricted Treatment of Digital Media vs. DSA

While the definition of advertising is aggressively wide, the draft decree's approach to digital infrastructure is technically imprecise and outdated. The accompanying Report to the King simplifies "digital media" as "including websites, social media, and emails".

Conflict with the Digital Services Act (DSA): This non-exhaustive list fails to align with the highly precise definitions established under the DSA/DMA framework (which separates intermediaries, online platforms, and search engines). It completely ignores the complexities of the modern ecosystem, such as in-game advertising, programmatic buying, or algorithmic targeting.
Violation of the E-Commerce Directive (Country of Origin Principle): Article 3 of the E-Commerce Directive mandates that online service providers are only subject to the regulations of their country of establishment. The draft decree's abstract obligations apply indiscriminately to all digital services, failing the strict criteria for derogation under Article 3(4). This creates an impossible environment for unpaid or organic brand content on social media, where geographic boundary limitation to Belgium or retrospective language application is technically unfeasible.

The Slogan Problem: Stigmatization vs. Behavioral Control and Media Overflow

The shift from the current sector standard ("Alcohol abuse harms health") to the mandated "Alcohol schaadt de gezondheid / L’alcool nuit à la santé" (Alcohol is harmful to health) introduces deep legal and logical issues:

Product vs. Consumption: The proposed slogan shifts the target from human behavior (excessive consumption/abuse) to the product itself. This directly clashes with established practices in other Member States, such as France's Loi Évin, which uses a behavior-focused warning ("L'abus d'alcool est dangereux..."). Buitenlandse overheden en de industrie moeten hiermee een legaal product stigmatiseren zonder sluitend wetenschappelijk consensus dat lichte, gematigde consumptie direct schadelijk is.
The "Media Overflow" Inconsistency: Approximately 20% to 30% of French-speaking Belgians regularly consume French media (such as TF1, France 2, M6), which carry the French "abuse" warning under the AVMSD Country of Origin principle. Forcing a different, harsher product-focused slogan on Belgian media creates immense consumer confusion, destroys the level playing field, and renders the Belgian measure highly inefficient.
The Plea for European Harmonisation: Rather than allowing national "gold-plating" that fragments the internal market, EACA urges a geharmoniseerde aanpak op Europees niveau. Under the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, potential future harmonisation should be pursued collectively via Article 114 TFEU, ensuring both maximum consumer clarity and operational efficiency across all EU Member States.

Severe Legal Uncertainty in Enforcement

Finally, the operationalisation of this decree creates a profound expertise gap. Enforcement is being transferred to food and health inspection officials (FOD Volksgezondheid) operating under the Law of January 24, 1977.

These inspectors are specialized in product safety and checklists, not media ethics, advertising context, or digital targeting algorithms.
Foreign advertising agencies and production houses face severe risks of arbitrary findings and heavy criminal sanctions (up to €150,000), causing a major chilling effect where European businesses will proactively avoid the Belgian market to eliminate legal risks.

Conclusion

The Belgian Draft Royal Decree replaces an effective, flexible co-regulatory system with an uncoordinated, vague, and legally volatile framework. The existing self-regulatory framework has demonstrated its value as a practical and efficient compliance mechanism, reducing the need for additional government monitoring, enforcement resources, and legislative intervention, while being financed entirely by industry rather than public authorities. By discarding this established model, the draft introduces unnecessary regulatory burdens and legal uncertainty. It violates Articles 34 and 56 TFEU, the AVMSD, and the E-Commerce Directive.

We respectfully request that the European Commission issue a detailed opinion pursuant to Article 6(2) of Directive 2015/1535/EU, urging the Belgian authorities to withdraw or thoroughly revise this draft to preserve the integrity of the European Single Market.

Yours sincerely,

European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA)

TRIS-bijdrage betreffende het Belgische ontwerp van koninklijk besluit inzake alcoholreclame (2026/0161/BE)

Kom op tegen Kanker, 8 juni 2026

Kom op tegen Kanker dient hierbij opmerkingen in over het ontwerp van koninklijk besluit betreffende reclame voor alcoholhoudende dranken.

Vanuit Kom op tegen Kanker verwelkomen we het initiatief van de Belgische regering om de regelgeving inzake alcoholreclame aan te scherpen, de burgers te informeren en te beschermen, met name door maatregelen in te voeren die gericht zijn op de bescherming van minderjarigen, het terugdringen van de blootstelling aan alcoholmarketing en het informeren van consumenten door middel van gezondheidswaarschuwingen.

Volgens onze beoordeling zijn de voorgestelde maatregelen in overeenstemming met het vigerende recht van de Europese Unie. Bovendien zijn de maatregelen proportioneel in het licht van de schadelijke gevolgen van alcohol.

Schadelijkheid alcohol

Alcoholgebruik is een belangrijke risicofactor voor maar liefst 200 ziekten en gezondheidsaandoeningen, waaronder kanker, hart- en vaatziekten en psychische aandoeningen. Alcohol is gelinkt aan minstens zeven types kanker. Uit cijfers van het Internationaal Agentschap voor Kankeronderzoek (IARC) blijkt dat in 2020 ruim 4 op de 100 gevallen van kanker in de wereld - ruim 741.000 gevallen in totaal - veroorzaakt worden door alcoholgebruik. Hierbij ging het in bijna 77 procent van de gevallen om mannen.

De Wereldgezondheidsorganisatie (WGO) stelt bovendien dat er geen veilige ondergrens is voor het drinken van alcohol. Wetenschappelijk onderzoek onder leiding van David Nutt concludeerde dat alcohol de schadelijkste drug is van de 20 legale en illegale drugs die ze onderzochten. Die conclusie werd gebaseerd op een multicriteriabesluitanalyse van 20 middelen, waarbij 16 criteria werden geëvalueerd, waaronder zowel de schade voor de gebruiker als de schade voor anderen. Alcohol scoorde daarbij ook het hoogst op maatschappelijke schade.

Specifiek in België sterven jaarlijks meer dan 4.000 mensen door alcoholgebruik. In België is 11,5% van de dikkedarmkankers en 7% van de borstkankers toe te schrijven aan alcoholconsumptie.

Jongeren zijn extra kwetsbaar voor de schadelijke gevolgen van alcoholgebruik. Alcoholgebruik op jonge leeftijd kan de normale ontwikkeling van de hersenen verstoren en kan leiden tot blijvende schade aan gebieden die cruciaal zijn voor besluitvorming, impulsbeheersing en emotionele regulatie. Deze verstoringen kunnen resulteren in langdurige cognitieve en emotionele problemen. Vroegtijdig experimenteren met alcohol heeft aantoonbare effecten op hersengebieden die betrokken zijn bij verslavingsgerelateerd gedrag. Onderzoek wijst uit dat herhaalde en chronische blootstelling aan alcohol leidt tot verdere aanpassingen in de hersenen, wat het risico op verslaving verhoogt, afhankelijk van de dosis.

Bescherming volksgezondheid en minderjarigen

Artikel 168 van het Verdrag betreffende de werking van de Europese Unie vereist dat een hoog niveau van bescherming van de volksgezondheid wordt gewaarborgd bij de vaststelling en uitvoering van alle EU-beleidsmaatregelen.

In het plan van de Europese Commissie om kanker te bestrijden, wordt het verminderen van alcoholgerelateerde schade als een belangrijk aandachtspunt aangemerkt. Daarbij wordt expliciet de noodzaak om alcoholmarketing aan te pakken en het consumentenbewustzijn te vergroten vermeld.

De bescherming van minderjarigen vormt een fundamentele verplichting onder het EU-recht en het internationaal recht, waaronder artikel 24 van het Handvest van de Grondrechten van de Europese Unie en het Verdrag van de Verenigde Naties inzake de Rechten van het Kind.

De voorgestelde maatregelen erkennen terecht de kwetsbaarheid van minderjarigen voor alcoholmarketing en voeren waarborgen in om hun blootstelling eraan te beperken. Gelet op het alomtegenwoordige en steeds geavanceerdere karakter van alcoholreclame, vooral op sociale media en digitale platformen, is zelfregulering ontoereikend. Bindende regelgevende maatregelen zijn daarom essentieel om kinderen en jongeren doeltreffend te beschermen.

De wetenschappelijke literatuur toont een duidelijk verband aan tussen de mate van blootstelling aan alcoholmarketing en de impact ervan op alcoholgebruik, vooral bij kwetsbare groepen, zoals jongeren. Het verminderen van deze blootstelling is daarom een essentieel onderdeel van een effectief alcoholbeleid.

De voorgestelde maatregelen zijn niet enkel in overeenstemming met de EU-regelgeving, ze dragen ook rechtstreeks bij aan de vervulling van de gezondheidsdoelstellingen door:

Reclame gericht op minderjarigen te beperken;
Promotiepraktijken zoals het aanbieden van gratis alcohol te beperken;
Verplichte gezondheidswaarschuwingen in alcoholreclame in te voeren.

Vrij verkeer van goederen en diensten

De voorgestelde maatregelen zijn in overeenstemming met het vrij verkeer van goederen en diensten. Specifiek met betrekking tot reclameverboden voor alcoholische producten stelt het Hof van Justitie dat lidstaten deze maatregelen kunnen nemen indien ze verantwoord zijn door een dwingende reden van algemeen belang en de maatregelen geen onevenredige beperking van het vrij verkeer inhouden.

Hoewel de voorgestelde maatregelen een beperking van het vrij verkeer impliceren, moet worden gesteld dat deze kunnen worden gerechtvaardigd door dwingende redenen van algemeen belang. De maatregelen creëren bovendien geen selectief voordeel aan nationale producten. Zowel binnenlandse als ingevoerde producten zijn op dezelfde manier onderworpen aan de ontworpen bepalingen.

De bescherming van de volksgezondheid in het algemeen, en van minderjarigen in het bijzonder, kan immers worden beschouwd als een dwingende reden van algemeen belang die een overheidsinterventie rechtvaardigt. Gelet op de schadelijkheid van alcohol en de significante gezondheidsrisico’s die alcoholgebruik veroorzaakt, is dergelijke rechtvaardiging voorhanden. Bij het bepalen van het niveau van bescherming van de volksgezondheid, beschikken de lidstaten over een beoordelingsbevoegdheid, in het bijzonder bij de uitwerking van een passend alcoholbeleid. De harmonisatie op EU-niveau inzake alcoholreclame is vooralsnog beperkt. In deze context behouden lidstaten de bevoegdheid om strengere nationale regels aan te nemen ter bescherming van de volksgezondheid.

Het Hof van Justitie heeft reeds aanvaard dat reclameverboden voor alcoholhoudende dranken kunnen worden gerechtvaardigd overeenkomstig artikel 36 van het Verdrag betreffende de Werking van de Europese Unie. De bescherming van minderjarigen vormt bovendien een bijzondere rechtvaardigingsgrond om maatregelen te nemen die de toegang van minderjarigen beperken tot producten die schadelijk kunnen zijn voor hun gezondheid. Dit principe is opgenomen in artikel 24, lid 1 van het Handvest van de Grondrechten van de Europese Unie.

Gelet op bovenstaande analyse moet dan ook worden vastgesteld dat de voorgestelde maatregelen evenredig zijn met de nagestreefde doelstellingen en geen onevenredige beperking van het vrij verkeer inhouden. De opname van gezondheidswaarschuwingen versterkt bovendien de consumentenbescherming en ondersteunt geïnformeerde besluitvorming, in overeenstemming met de ontwikkelingen binnen het EU-beleid inzake transparantie en consumentenrechten.

Geïntegreerde benadering alcoholbeleid

Om daadwerkelijk een effectief alcoholbeleid te voeren, is een geheel aan acties nodig. Hiervoor moeten maatregelen op verschillende gebieden op een gecoördineerde manier worden genomen, aangezien ze samen helpen om het alcoholgebruik terug te dringen.

De Wereldgezondheidsorganisatie (WGO) definieert op basis van wetenschappelijk onderzoek 3 ‘best buys’ voor het terugdringen van schadelijk alcoholgebruik. Best buys zijn maatregelen die het meest kosteneffectief, betaalbaar en uitvoerbaar zijn. Het gaat met name over: 1) een prijsverhoging, 2) een beperking van de beschikbaarheid, 3) een verbod of beperking op alcoholmarketing.

Een beperking op alcoholmarketing wordt beschouwd als een van de meest kosteneffectieve maatregelen om schade te voorkomen, in het bijzonder bij jongeren.

Een blik over de grenzen

Diverse EU-landen hebben reeds een verbod op of sterke beperking van alcoholmarketing ingevoerd. Te denken valt hierbij onder meer aan Estland, Ierland, Frankrijk, Letland, Litouwen, Noorwegen, Polen en Zweden. Ook met betrekking tot gezondheidswaarschuwingen zijn er goede voorbeelden terug te vinden binnen de EU. Zo vereist de regelgeving in Ierland, Frankrijk, Estland, Litouwen en Zweden dat reclameboodschappen gezondheidswaarschuwingen bevatten.

Deze landen tonen aan dat de lidstaten gebruik kunnen maken van hun discretionaire bevoegdheid om een strenger alcoholbeleid te voeren en beperkende maatregelen op nationaal niveau op te leggen. Dergelijke regelgeving is in overeenstemming met het EU-recht.

Conclusie

Kom op tegen Kanker steunt het door België aangemelde ontwerp van koninklijk besluit inzake alcoholreclame ten volle.

Het voorstel vormt een proportionele, evidence-based en juridisch onderbouwde maatregel om de volksgezondheid te beschermen, kinderen en jongeren te beschermen en consumenten beter te informeren. Het is noodzakelijk dat lidstaten doortastende maatregelen nemen om de blootstelling aan schadelijke marketingpraktijken te verminderen en toekomstige generaties te beschermen.

Wij moedigen de Europese Commissie respectvol aan om:

De verenigbaarheid van de voorgestelde maatregelen met het EU-recht te erkennen;
De inspanningen van België om het alcoholbeleid te versterken te ondersteunen;
Gelijkaardige evidence-based benaderingen binnen de Europese Unie te bevorderen.

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TRIS - General Contact Information
Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Directorate-General
GROW.E.3 - Barrier prevention
N105 5/25
B-1049 Brussels

Tel: (32) 229 82 431
Fax: (32) 299 80 43
Email: GROW-E3@ec.europa.eu

À l’attention de Monsieur Maly Radek

Chef d’unité, DG GROW

Commission européenne

B-1049 Bruxelles

Date : 15/06/2026

Objet : Observations de l’UPC PUB (France) concernant la notification TRIS 2026/0161/BE – Arrêté royal belge relatif à la publicité pour les boissons contenant de l’alcool.

Monsieur le Chef d’unité,

Le collège de films publicitaires de l’Union des Producteurs de Cinéma et de Contenus Publicitaires (UPC PUB France), représentant les intérêts des maisons de production de films publicitaires en France, souhaite soumettre ses observations critiques concernant le projet d’arrêté royal notifié par la Belgique le 30 mars 2026.

Bien que nous soutenions pleinement les objectifs de santé publique et la protection des mineurs, nous considérons que les dispositions de cet arrêté constituent des entraves disproportionnées à la libre circulation des services et des biens (Articles 34 et 56 du TFUE) et contreviennent aux principes fondamentaux du droit européen.

Nos préoccupations majeures s'articulent autour des points suivants :

1. Insécurité juridique liée aux définitions extensives

L’article 1er du projet définit la publicité comme toute « communication ou action » ayant un but « direct ou indirect » de promouvoir la vente. Cette définition est bien plus vaste que celle de la directive SMA (AVMSD), qui se limite aux communications commerciales audiovisuelles.

Risque pour l'exportation : Pour nos maisons de production, cela crée une insécurité juridique majeure. Des documentaires touristiques ou des reportages sur le patrimoine viticole français pourraient être requalifiés de « publicité indirecte » par les autorités belges.
Affichage occasionnel d’une marque restreint : La définition de l’affichage occasionnel d’une marque (Art. 1, 4°) est si restrictive qu'elle rend l'exportation de fictions ou de contenus culturels périlleuse sans une adaptation coûteuse (retouche numérique ou ajout de slogans), ce qui s'apparente à une forme de censure technique.
Contenus éditoriaux et culturels : Des documentaires sur le patrimoine viticole ou des émissions touristiques invitant à découvrir des domaines pourraient être arbitrairement requalifiés en publicité. L’étroitesse de la définition de l’« affichage occasionnel » (Art. 1, 4°) ne protège pas suffisamment la liberté de création et le contenu utilisateur.

2. Barrières techniques : Slogan et disproportion

L’arrêté impose le slogan « L’alcool nuit à la santé », occupant 5 % de la surface, dans une police spécifique (Open Sans).

Incompatibilité avec la Loi Évin française (Art. L. 3323-4 CSP) : En France, nos productions respectent la Loi Évin avec le slogan « L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé » (ciblant le comportement), le slogan belge « L’alcool nuit à la santé » condamne le produit en lui-même.
Coûts d'adaptation (Re-versioning) : Cette divergence oblige les maisons de production françaises à créer des versions spécifiques pour le marché belge, augmentant considérablement les coûts et fragmentant le marché unique.

3. Entrave à l'œnotourisme et au patrimoine culturel

Le projet pénalise injustement le secteur touristique européen. En obligeant les maisons de production à apposer des avertissements médicaux rigides sur des invitations culturelles à découvrir des domaines viticoles en France ou en Italie, la Belgique crée une barrière injustifiée aux services touristiques (Art. 56 TFUE). Le texte ignore l'impact sur l'ensemble de la chaîne économique du tourisme gastronomique.

4. Violation du principe du pays d'origine (Directive SMA)

La directive SMA consacre le principe du pays d'origine : un service de média doit uniquement se conformer aux règles de l'État membre où il est établi.

Conformément à la Directive SMA (AVMSD) et à la Directive sur le commerce électronique, les prestataires de services de médias devraient uniquement se conformer aux règles de leur État membre d'établissement. En imposant ses propres restrictions aux contenus produits et diffusés depuis la France — consommés massivement en Belgique francophone (20 % à 30 % d'audience TV) — la Belgique fragmente le marché unique numérique.

Conclusion

L’UPC PUB (France) estime que l'arrêté belge est disproportionné. Le but de santé publique pourrait être atteint par des mesures moins restrictives, telles que l'harmonisation avec le slogan français ou le respect de l'autorégulation sectorielle déjà en place.

Nous invitons respectueusement la Commission européenne à émettre un avis circonstancié et à demander à la Belgique de réviser en profondeur ce projet afin de garantir le respect du marché unique numérique et audiovisuel.

Dans l'attente de votre analyse, nous restons à votre entière disposition pour tout complément d'information.

Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le Chef d’unité, l’expression de nos salutations distinguées.

Le Conseil d'Administration de l’UPC PUB (France)

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Contribución de CECRV a la notificación TRIS

Proyecto de Real Decreto belga sobre advertencias sanitarias obligatorias en la publicidad del alcohol

La Federación Europea de Vinos de Origen (CECRV), que representa a los productores de vino protegidos por Indicaciones Geográficas (IG) en toda la Unión Europea, desea expresar su preocupación por el proyecto de Real Decreto belga que introduce advertencias sanitarias obligatorias en la publicidad del alcohol.

La Comisión EFOW apoya plenamente el objetivo de proteger la salud pública y promover decisiones informadas por parte de los consumidores. No obstante, la medida propuesta plantea importantes dudas en relación con su compatibilidad con el Derecho de la UE, en particular con los principios que rigen el mercado interior, la proporcionalidad de las medidas nacionales de salud pública y el marco jurídico aplicable a los servicios digitales y audiovisuales transfronterizos.

1. Restricción de la libre circulación de mercancías y servicios

El proyecto de Real Decreto exigiría que toda la publicidad de bebidas alcohólicas difundida en Bélgica incluyera una advertencia sanitaria obligatoria sujeta a requisitos detallados de redacción, formato, ubicación e idioma.

Aunque la medida se aplica indistintamente a productos nacionales e importados, puede generar obstáculos significativos al comercio en el sentido de los artículos 34 y 56 del TFUE.

Los productores y operadores vitivinícolas establecidos en otros Estados miembros recurren con frecuencia a campañas de comunicación transfronterizas y paneuropeas. La introducción de requisitos publicitarios específicos para Bélgica obligaría a los operadores a rediseñar, adaptar o duplicar materiales promocionales exclusivamente para este mercado, generando costes de cumplimiento relevantes y fragmentando las estrategias de comunicación en la Unión.

Estas cargas afectan especialmente a las pequeñas y medianas empresas vitivinícolas y a los productores de indicaciones geográficas, muchos de los cuales disponen de recursos de marketing limitados y dependen de materiales comunes para varios mercados. Además, los requisitos lingüísticos pueden implicar la creación de múltiples versiones de una misma campaña, incrementando la carga administrativa y económica sin evidencias claras de una mayor eficacia.

El Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión Europea ha declarado reiteradamente que las medidas nacionales que obstaculizan el acceso al mercado o imponen cargas adicionales a productos y servicios procedentes de otros Estados miembros pueden constituir restricciones a la libre circulación conforme a los artículos 34 y 56 del TFUE, incluso cuando se aplican de manera indistinta.

2. Falta de proporcionalidad y justificación insuficiente

Si bien la protección de la salud pública constituye un objetivo legítimo con arreglo al artículo 36 del TFUE, toda restricción a las libertades fundamentales del mercado interior debe ser adecuada, necesaria y proporcionada.

En este sentido, EFOW considera que el proyecto de Real Decreto no aporta evidencias suficientes que demuestren que la advertencia obligatoria, en los términos específicos propuestos, sea necesaria para alcanzar el objetivo de salud pública declarado.

La afirmación general de que “el alcohol es perjudicial para la salud” presenta el consumo de forma amplia e indiferenciada, sin distinguir entre patrones de consumo nocivos y consumo moderado. Asimismo, no se acredita si existen medidas alternativas menos restrictivas que permitan alcanzar el mismo objetivo con un menor impacto sobre el funcionamiento del mercado interior.

Los requisitos técnicos relativos al tamaño, duración, ubicación y presentación de la advertencia en todos los formatos publicitarios parecen ir más allá de lo necesario para garantizar su visibilidad y comprensión por parte de los consumidores.

3. Incertidumbre jurídica y alcance excesivamente amplio

EFOW expresa su preocupación por diversos elementos del proyecto que pueden generar inseguridad jurídica para los operadores.

En particular, el alcance del concepto de “publicidad”, la aplicación de las normas a las comunicaciones digitales y la interpretación de los contenidos dirigidos o susceptibles de dirigirse a menores no están suficientemente definidos. Estas ambigüedades pueden provocar una aplicación incoherente y generar incertidumbre jurídica para las empresas.

Estas preocupaciones son especialmente relevantes en el entorno digital, donde los formatos de comunicación evolucionan rápidamente y donde los contenidos difundidos a través de páginas web, redes sociales y otros canales en línea pueden ser difíciles de segmentar geográficamente o de adaptar a requisitos nacionales divergentes.

La seguridad jurídica constituye un principio fundamental del Derecho de la UE y debe respetarse plenamente cuando se imponen obligaciones que afectan a actividades económicas transfronterizas.

4. Compatibilidad con la Directiva sobre el comercio electrónico

El proyecto de Real Decreto plantea asimismo dudas respecto al cumplimiento del principio del país de origen establecido en la Directiva 2000/31/CE sobre comercio electrónico.

Al imponer requisitos obligatorios a las comunicaciones en línea relacionadas con el alcohol difundidas en Bélgica, con independencia del Estado miembro de establecimiento del prestador de servicios, la medida podría restringir la prestación de servicios transfronterizos de la sociedad de la información.

Toda excepción al principio del país de origen debe cumplir condiciones estrictas de necesidad, proporcionalidad y adecuación. Sin embargo, la medida propuesta parece aplicarse de forma general a todos los operadores y comunicaciones relevantes, sin una focalización basada en riesgos específicos.

Por ello, EFOW invita a la Comisión Europea a evaluar detenidamente la compatibilidad del proyecto con la Directiva sobre comercio electrónico.

5. Compatibilidad con la Directiva de servicios de comunicación audiovisual

Se plantean preocupaciones similares en relación con la Directiva 2010/13/UE relativa a los servicios de comunicación audiovisual.

Esta Directiva establece un marco armonizado para las comunicaciones comerciales audiovisuales, incluidas disposiciones sobre publicidad de bebidas alcohólicas y protección de menores. Si bien los Estados miembros pueden adoptar medidas más estrictas en determinadas condiciones, estas deben ser compatibles con el Derecho de la UE y respetar el principio del país de origen.

El proyecto de Real Decreto podría afectar a prestadores de servicios establecidos en otros Estados miembros y generar restricciones a la recepción y retransmisión de servicios en el mercado interior. En consecuencia, EFOW considera que su compatibilidad con la Directiva de servicios de comunicación audiovisual requiere un análisis más profundo.

Conclusión

EFOW apoya las políticas de salud pública basadas en evidencia y reconoce la importancia de proporcionar información relevante a los consumidores. Sin embargo, el proyecto de Real Decreto, en su forma actual, suscita serias preocupaciones en materia de proporcionalidad, seguridad jurídica y compatibilidad con las normas del mercado interior de la UE, incluida la libre circulación de bienes y servicios, la Directiva sobre comercio electrónico y la Directiva de servicios de comunicación audiovisual.

Por ello, EFOW invita respetuosamente a la Comisión Europea y a los Estados miembros a examinar detenidamente la medida notificada en el marco del procedimiento TRIS y a emitir un dictamen detallado. Asimismo, anima a las autoridades belgas a reevaluar la necesidad y proporcionalidad de las disposiciones propuestas y a considerar alternativas menos restrictivas que permitan alcanzar los objetivos de salud pública preservando al mismo tiempo la integridad del mercado único europeo.

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CEVI invites the European Commission and Member States to carefully examine the Belgian draft Royal Decree on alcohol advertising and to consider issuing Detailed Opinions.

While supporting the objective of protecting minors and reducing harmful alcohol consumption, CEVI identifies four main areas of concern:

Barriers to trade and fragmentation of the Single Market

The mandatory health warning and its associated technical and linguistic requirements would require operators established in other Member States to adapt advertising campaigns specifically for the Belgian market. This would generate additional costs and administrative burdens, particularly for micro and small enterprises, while contributing to the fragmentation of the Single Market.

Lack of clarity and legal certainty

Several provisions remain insufficiently defined, notably the notions of media primarily aimed at minors and tastings. The broad definition of advertising also raises concerns regarding legal certainty and the practical implementation of the proposed rules.

Proportionality of the proposed measures

The mandatory warning “Alcohol is harmful to your health” adopts a broad and absolute wording that does not distinguish between harmful alcohol consumption and alcohol consumption more generally. This approach is not consistent with the terminology used in the December 2025 UN Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases, which refers to the harmful use of alcohol. In addition, the detailed technical requirements governing the presentation of the warning may impose disproportionate burdens on operators, particularly SMEs.

Compatibility with existing EU legislation

The proposed requirements may also raise questions regarding their interaction with the E-Commerce Directive and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, both of which are based on the country-of-origin principle. The impact of the measure on cross-border communications and services therefore deserves further examination.

In light of these concerns, CEVI considers that the compatibility of the draft decree with EU law, its proportionality and its impact on the Single Market should be carefully assessed before its adoption.

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A YOUTH CALL FOR EVIDENCE-BASED ALCOHOL POLICY IN BELGIUM: PROTECTING MINORS FROM COMMERCIAL MARKETING AND UPHOLDING THEIR RIGHT TO KNOW

This statement is issued by the WHO/Europe EVID-ACTION Youth Alcohol Network in support of Belgium’s TRIS notification on a draft Royal Decree concerning alcohol advertising.

The proposed Royal Decree forms part of a broader package of measures to restrict alcohol advertising and sponsorship, particularly in settings where children, adolescents, and young people may be exposed, and to reduce the normalization of alcohol in public spaces.

BACKGROUND

Belgium has submitted a TRIS notification regarding a draft Royal Decree concerning advertising for alcoholic beverages, including a regulatory package on alcohol advertising restrictions, prohibition of free alcoholic beverages, and inclusion of health warnings in promotions [1].

These proposals are in line with the Inter-federal Strategy on Harmful Alcohol Use 2023–2028 (Action Plan 2023-2025), specifically Points 14 to 19, 22 and 23 and also draw from the Convention on Advertising and Marketing of Alcoholic Beverages, articles 2 to 6.

The notification highlights the need to act on those advertising practices that have a considerable impact on consumers, particularly young people. It also emphasizes the need to ban advertising for alcoholic beverages in the media and in the press primarily aimed at minors.

EVIDENCE

Scientific evidence clearly shows that alcohol is harmful to health [2]. One in every 11 deaths in the WHO European Region is due to alcohol consumption, and it is causally linked to over 200 health conditions. Among youth, it is a major cause of mortality in the WHO European Region, causing one in four deaths among individuals aged 19-24, often through injuries, suicide, and homicide [3]. Alcohol consumption directly affects the developing brain, particularly areas involved in decision-making ability, impulse regulation and self-control [3].

For decades, the alcohol industry has used sophisticated marketing, sports sponsorships, and digital algorithms to normalize drinking from an early age. Alcohol marketing is not merely neutral commercial information. Longitudinal evidence shows that greater exposure to alcohol marketing is associated with earlier initiation of drinking and with increased binge and hazardous drinking among young people [4].

Voluntary and industry-led safeguards have unfortunately proven inadequate [5,6]. They cannot be treated as an adequate substitute for statutory legislative protection in environments where children and adolescents are continuously exposed to alcohol marketing, especially within digital spaces [7,8].

POSITION

The WHO/Europe EVID-ACTION Youth Alcohol Network expresses its strong support for Belgium’s TRIS notification concerning the approval of a draft Royal Decree on alcohol advertising and sponsorship.

As young people, we are disproportionately exposed to alcohol advertising and sponsorship in sports, cultural events, social gatherings and digital media. We are directly affected by these harmful practices while also being more vulnerable to alcohol-related harms due to our stage of physical, cognitive and social development. Measures that reduce this exposure help create environments that support informed choices rather than normalizing alcohol consumption from an early age.

Children and young people have a fundamental right to grow up in environments free from predatory marketing. Consumers also have a right to clear, uncompromised, and evidence-based health information. Belgium’s proposal advances children’s rights, consumer protection and the right to health.

The proposed requirement to include a health warning message in all advertisements for alcoholic beverages is a necessary step to counter decades of unregulated commercial promotion that has presented alcohol primarily through positive, social and lifestyle-oriented messages. Providing health information in alcohol advertising also contributes to greater transparency and helps address widespread misconceptions about alcohol, including beliefs that certain alcoholic beverages may be risk-free or beneficial to health.

We therefore urge Member States and the European Commission to support Belgium’s proposed measures, and to uphold the right of children and young people to grow up in environments that are not shaped by alcohol promotion.

RECOMMENDATIONS

WHO/Europe EVID-ACTION Youth Network calls on the European Commission to:

Support measures that reduce the exposure of children and young people to alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotional activities in physical and digital environments.
Uphold the right of consumers to receive clear, accurate and evidence-based information about the health risks associated with alcohol consumption.
Encourage other Member States to adopt comparable advertising restrictions and health warning requirements, recognizing Belgium’s proposal as a model rather than an outlier within the internal market.
Uphold the protection of minors and the right to health as overriding public-interest objectives.
Ensure that policies affecting alcohol advertising prioritize public health and the protection of young people.
Incorporate youth voices into the legislative process, as young people are the most vulnerable to the long-term impacts of increased marketing exposure to alcohol.

ABOUT THE WHO/EUROPE EVID-ACTION YOUTH ALCOHOL NETWORK

The Youth Alcohol Network was launched in November 2023 as part of the Evidence into Action Alcohol Project (EVID-ACTION), a joint initiative of WHO/Europe and the European Union. The Network brings together young people aged 18–30 from EU countries plus Iceland, Norway, and Ukraine to contribute their insights and experience to alcohol policy discussions. Through collective action, the Network supports the advancement of evidence-based policies that protect young people’s health, reduce alcohol-related harms, and help shape healthier drinking cultures for current and future generations.

REFERENCES

https://technical-regulation-information-system.ec.europa.eu/en/notification/27792
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health
https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/alcohol-use
Jernigan D, Noel J, Landon J, Thornton N, Lobstein T. Alcohol marketing and youth alcohol consumption: a systematic review of longitudinal studies published since 2008. Addiction. 2017 Jan;112 Suppl 1:7-20. doi: 10.1111/add.13591. Epub 2016 Nov 8. PMID: 27565582.
World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. Alcohol and cancer in the WHO European Region: an appeal for better prevention. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe; 2023.
World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. Alcohol marketing in the WHO European Region: update report on the evidence and recommended policy actions. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe; 2020.
World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. Digital marketing of alcohol: challenges and policy options for the WHO European Region. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe; 2021.
Radoš Krnel S, Levičnik G, van Dalen W, Ferrarese G, Tricas-Sauras S. Effectiveness of Regulatory Policies on Online/Digital/Internet-Mediated Alcohol Marketing: a Systematic Review. J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2023 Mar;13(1):115-128. doi: 10.1007/s44197-023-00088-2. Epub 2023 Feb 2. PMID: 36732366; PMCID: PMC10006384.

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STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR BELGIUM’S PROPOSED MEASURES ON ALCOHOL ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP

30 June 2026

The European Society of Radiology (ESR), one of the world’s largest and most influential radiology organisations with over 149,000 individual members and 62 European institutional member societies, welcomes Belgium’s TRIS notification concerning a package of measures to further restrict alcohol advertising and sponsorship, particularly in settings where children, adolescents and young people may be exposed, and to reduce the availability of alcohol in public spaces.

Why radiologists support this proposal

As health professionals, radiologists witness the harmful effects of alcohol consumption across the entire lifespan. Radiologists are frequently the first health professionals to diagnose the harmful impacts of alcohol consumption such as liver disease, which often remains asymptomatic until it has reached an advanced stage.

The adverse effects of alcohol can begin even before birth through prenatal alcohol exposure and may persist throughout childhood and adolescence, ultimately contributing to serious and potentially life-threatening conditions in adulthood.

Given radiologists’ crucial role in the early detection of alcohol-related harm and in preventing disease progression, the ESR considers Belgium’s proposed measures to be timely, necessary, and proportionate.

Prohibiting alcohol advertising in media primarily targeted at minors can help reduce the development of alcohol-related conditions. These conditions not only affect individual patients but also place a significant burden on health systems. Limiting young people’s exposure to alcohol marketing is an important preventive measure that can reduce harm before it impacts individuals, families, communities, clinics, and hospitals. The ESR therefore supports these primary prevention measures.

Reducing advertising practices that normalize alcohol use

ESR also supports Belgium’s proposal to prohibit the free distribution of alcoholic beverages except where it is linked to the purchase of an alcoholic drink or provided as part of organised tastings.

Providing alcohol free of charge encourages consumption, diminishes awareness of the health risks associated with alcohol, and contributes to the normalization of alcohol use in social and public settings. Alcohol is a psychoactive, dependence-producing, teratogenic, and carcinogenic substance. Promoting its consumption through free offerings is inconsistent with public health objectives and fails to reflect the significant risks associated with its use.

Restricting promotional practices that encourage or normalize alcohol consumption can contribute to safer environments for children and young people and help prevent avoidable alcohol-related harm.

Strengthening health information and ensuring effective implementation

ESR strongly supports Belgium’s proposal to require health warnings in all advertisements for alcoholic beverages.

The health risks associated with alcohol consumption are well established and include cancer, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, injuries, mental health disorders, alcohol dependence, and harms affecting children and families.

While the introduction of health warning labels on alcoholic beverages remains an important policy objective, the requirement to include health warnings in alcohol advertising represents a positive and necessary step forward.

Providing clear and accessible health information enables individuals to make informed decisions, supports meaningful discussions between healthcare professionals and patients, and contributes to the prevention of avoidable disease.

Conclusion

As the world’s largest radiological society and member of the European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA), ESR supports Belgium’s proposed measures on alcohol advertising and sponsorship. As health professionals dealing with secondary and tertiary prevention, radiologists see first-hand the consequences of alcohol-related harm, insufficient risk communication, and environments in which alcohol use is normalized from an early age. ESR therefore supports the primary prevention measures proposed by Belgium and encourages Member States and the European Commission to support Belgium’s initiative in the interest of protecting and promoting the health of children, young people, families and communities across Europe.

About ESR

The European Society of Radiology (ESR) is one of the world’s largest and most influential radiology organisations, dedicated to advancing medical imaging for improved patient care. With more than 149,000 members worldwide, ESR promotes education, research, and innovation in radiology. The society organises the annual European Congress of Radiology (ECR), one of the world’s leading medical imaging meetings, bringing together professionals from across the globe. ECR 2026 hosted a session titled “EVID-ACTION - ESR meets EHAA: Current trends in alcohol-related liver disease”, which can be accessed online on demand for free upon registration on ESR Connect here:
https://connect.myesr.org/course/esr-meets-ehaa-current-trends-in-alcohol-related-liver-disease/#1

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Alkoholijuomien mainontaa koskeva kuninkaallinen asetus

Message

Barriers to trade and fragmentation of the Single Market

Lack of clarity and legal certainty

Proportionality of the proposed measures

Compatibility with existing EU legislation