Dr. Vytenis Andriukaitis:

I would like to summarise and then respond to the five questions. I will look at data protection and its implications in respect of cancer. We fully agree with the joint committee's statement on obesity. In regard to dealing with GMO, I will ask my colleagues to add to my comments.

The alcohol strategy was raised. The way to deal with alcohol and tobacco products will not be in a five year but a 20 year strategy. It will be adopted at European Parliament and European Council levels and agreed with member states. The vast number of evidence based articles and studies have provided what we need to know. Some 75 of my friends worked on the risk factors of non-communicable diseases at the WHO in Geneva and Copenhagen. In our universities, we established a public health faculty. However, there are always opponents who raise questions and pose riddles on how we deal with issues. We must introduce agreed instruments which are effective based on the evidence. The most effective measure to deal with alcohol is education but education is a long-term measure. However, there is evidence of its effectiveness. It is one plus. Effectiveness comprises a number of elements. Firs, there is long-term political law; second there is pricing; third, there is advertising; fourth is the necessity to reduce accessibility to buy alcohol an to regulate the rules in supermarkets about buying alcohol; and fifth, there is the necessity not to use alcohol in cars. There are many effective measures that reduce the use of alcohol but they in turn reduce business and lower profits. There are always those who will want to veto such initiatives. We are medical doctors. We know from the evidence-based studies about the problems caused by alcohol.

My vision is to create a concrete plan of measures every year. I made a presentation to my government on concrete coherent measures that must be implemented together and must be implemented over the current and following five year terms of the Parliament. We have a ten year action plan to work together and step by step we hope to see the result of reducing the consumption of alcohol.

There is a pattern of binge drinking among young people. There is a need to build an architecture, a programme of streamlined measures to reduce alcohol use. The scientist Robert Brown describes zigzag, irregular motion known as Brownian motion. We need to establish common goals and then look at the common results. I want to emphasise not only strategy but the complexity of combining all risk factors and seeing the possibilities to implement our findings. We must use the results of broad and chronic diseases and must prevent early deaths. We must avoid the harm that is caused by alcohol. It is a complex issue.

I will ask Mr. Ladislav Miko, the deputy director general for the food chain of the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers for the European Commission to speak at this point.