[The European Alcohol Action Plan. The Alcohol, Drug and Tobacco Unit. Department of Lifestyles and Health, Regional Office for Europe. World Health Organization. Copenhagen, 1993].

The translation to the Spanish language of the European Alcohol Action Plan, from the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization, is presented as a support measure and promotion of its application. The European Alcohol Action Plan calls for a European movement to support actions at the local, national and international levels. The Action Plan calls for the participation of many partners in public, private and voluntary sectors. Its successful implementation will make a clearly recognizable contribution to improve Europeans' health and to prevent the harm done by the use of alcohol. Alcohol is a major public health problem throughout the European Region as a whole. In relation to alcohol, Member States hold two shared commitments. The first one is a commitment to the health policy for Europe, as expressed in the Targets for Health for All, and specifically the target 17 which calls for a 25% reduction in alcohol consumption between 1980 and 2000, with particular attention to reduce its harmful use. The second one is a commitment to the European Alcohol Action Plan which was strongly endorsed at the 1992 Regional Committee as a positive set of guidelines to be followed by the European Member States. Member States, nongovernmental organizations, the European Union, the Council of Europe and the Nordic Council are taking initiatives to reduce the harm produced by the use of alcohol.