EU: Rule changes postponed

The European Parliament’s Environment Committee has postponed a vote on the Schnellhardt Report on the labelling, presentation and advertising of alcoholic drinks, following calls for further discussions. The report – which aims at bringing the labelling and advertising of alcoholic beverages into line with a 1979 Directive on foodstuffs – will create new rules for all alcoholic beverages, including alcopops. In postponing the adoption of this report, MEPs called for rules relating to alcoholic beverages in future to be dealt with under the co-decision procedure, which would give the European Parliament an equal say in the adoption of future legislation. This report will again be discussed in the Parliament in the coming months, with adoption expected after the Easter recess.