Europe plays a significant role in the production, trade and consumption of alcoholic beverages; it also carries a heavy social and economic burden of alcohol-related problems. Alcohol consumption is estimated to be responsible for about 10% of the total disease burden, increasing the risk of liver cirrhosis, certain cancers, high blood pressure, stroke and congenital malfunctions, among other problems. Furthermore, it increases the risk of many social problems such as family disintegration, absenteeism, poor productivity, financial hardships, unintentional injuries, traffic accidents, criminal behaviour, violence, homicide and suicide.