5 December 2025
In a joint statement, the European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA) has welcomed the European Parliament’s decision to safeguard consumers by endorsing clear and accurate “reduced-alcohol” labelling.
The European Parliament’s decisive vote in the Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) Committee on 5 November reaffirmed support for the scientifically accurate and legally coherent term “reduced-alcohol” for wines with lower alcohol content. MEPs rejected attempts to introduce misleading descriptors such as “low” or “light” for wines containing up to 6% ABV, marking an important win for public health, consumer protection, and evidence-based policymaking.
The Parliament’s decision endorses the only terminology that avoids implying health or risk-related benefits and complies with EU Food Law principles. The vote confirms what health experts, clinicians, and consumer advocates have long emphasised:
This outcome strengthens consumer protection and reinforces the EU’s commitments under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and other key prevention strategies. Alcohol is a known carcinogen and decades of robust science clearly link consumption to at least 7 types of cancer, including breast cancer.
While this vote is a crucial victory for transparency in alcohol policy, the scale of alcohol-related harm across Europe remains alarming. Alcohol is a major driver of cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and a wide range of acute and chronic health conditions.
To address these harms, the EU must continue strengthening its approach to risk communication, labelling, marketing, pricing, and availability. Consistency across these policy areas is vital as Europe moves forward with its prevention agenda.
The European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA), of which the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL) is a founding member, will continue to advocate for:
The European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA) is a coalition of European health organisations representing over 1.7 million medical professionals and healthcare providers. We work tirelessly to reduce the burden of alcohol-related harm across Europe, and for European citizens, through evidence-based policy advocacy, professional education, and direct engagement with decision-makers. EHAA was formed to ensure our collective voice is heard, to highlight the serious health consequences of alcohol – such as various cancers, liver disease, and emergency department admissions – and to advocate for stronger, evidence-based public health policies.
