Alcohol-related road accidents a major cause of concern

European Union Health Commissioner Marcos Kyprianou said here today that road accidents related to alcohol are a major cause of concern in Cyprus and in the EU in general. Speaking to CNA, Kyprianou said the problems caused by excessive consumption of alcohol in Cyprus is connected mainly with road accidents.
According to available figures, about one accident in four can be linked to alcohol consumption, and at least 10.000 people are killed in alcohol-related road accidents in the EU each year.
He also noted that young people in the EU are particularly at risk, as over 10% of female mortality and around 25% of male mortality in the 18-24 age group is related to hazardous alcohol consumption.
The figures show that each year excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for the death of 195.000 people throughout Europe. About 55 million adults consume far too much alcohol and excessive consumption is the cause of about 7,4% of health problems and premature deaths in the EU.
Kyprianou said the European Commission has adopted a proposal for a European strategy against the dangers caused by excessive consuming of alcohol which was approved unanimously by the Council of Health Ministers in December 2006.
Now we are passing on to the stage of implementation, Kyprianou said, adding that the strategy concerns all sectors, including a special chapter on the reduction of injuries and deaths in alcohol-related road accidents.
”We have proposed a reduction in the acceptable level of alcohol in the blood as we believe the lowest the better”, he told CNA.
He called on all member-states to implement the EU strategy, which is not legally binding but it is politically binding for those members that have adopted the said strategy.
Asked if it includes austere measures and penalties, Kyprianou said it is up to each country to adopt any such measures.
As of 1st January this year, Meglena Kuneva, is the new Consumer Protection Commissioner. The Consumer Protection portfolio was up till now the responsibility of the Cypriot Commissioner Marcos Kyprianou, who from 1 January 2007 maintains the portfolio of Health.