MEPs call for compulsory health warnings on alcohol

Measures for the protection and care of children, even before birth, were high on the agenda for MEPs in Strasbourg this week.

The European Parliament called on member states to introduce compulsory health warning labels on alcohol, particularly in relation to the risks of drinking during pregnancy.

All EU states already have the power to force manufacturers to put warning labels on alcohol packaging. But unlike tobacco warnings, which are regulated on an EU-wide level, it is up to each individual state whether it insists on drinks labelling.

In a report on reducing alcohol-related harm, MEPs called on the European Commission to introduce legislation to make alcohol warning labels compulsory in all member states, and to initiate campaigns to tackle binge drinking, underage drinking and drink driving.

Fianna Fáil MEP Liam Aylward called on the Government to introduce alcohol warnings now, rather than wait until it had been made compulsory by the commission.

Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle said the effects of drinking during pregnancy were poorly understood by the public.

"Ireland has the highest proportion of prenatal drinking of alcohol in the EU. Recent research from the Coombe hospital shows that, out of 125,000 mothers surveyed, 80 per cent said they had consumed alcohol while pregnant."

Drinking while pregnant could give rise to foetal alcohol syndrome and could also lead to children developing attention deficit disorder and Asperger's syndrome, she said.

Following recent scares in relation to the use of lead paint in children's toys, MEPs are also seeking new rules to stop the misuse of the "CE" toy safety symbol.

The symbol is used by manufacturers to declare that their product complies with EU law. However, the use of the symbol is self-regulated and specific products do not go through any EU inspection regime before they are allowed to use the CE mark.

The recent withdrawal by toy manufacturer Mattel of Chinese-made Barbie doll accessories, its third major product withdrawal in a month, has led Socialist group MEPs to table a motion, which will be debated later this month, calling for the use of the CE mark to be reviewed.

The parliament this week adopted a new scheme to provide schoolchildren across the EU with free milk.

Northern Ireland Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún said the scheme, which is already active in Ireland, should be broadened to include fruit, particularly in light of the growing obesity problem in Europe.

"The school milk distribution scheme will provide nutrition to children and also aid the dairy industry," she said. "I am delighted that the European Parliament has also made clear its wish to see the commission explore other potential products which could be added to such a scheme."

Meanwhile, Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness has joined British MEPs in calling for the commission to ban Brazilian beef imports in light of the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Britain.

Brazilian beef was on sale in Ireland and across the EU while "serious question marks" hang over the quality of its production, she said.

"Over 68 per cent of all EU beef imports come from Brazil, at a time when countries such as Australia, the US and New Zealand do not accept fresh Brazilian beef imports because of FMD risks."

The commission had been too lenient in setting a deadline of the end of the year for Brazilian authorities to meet food safety and veterinary health requirements. "Brazil has been given ample time to comply with EU requirements. It makes a nonsense of EU quality standards to allow in imports that do not meet these standards," she said.