Media Release: Posted on September 12, 2025 in
Alcohol Harm, Alcohol Industry, Corporate Consumption Complex, Movendi, Policy, Sustainable Development
For immediate release: September 12, 2025
Media contact: Maik Dünnbier Phone: 0046721555036 E-mail: maik.duennbier @ movendi.ngo
New York, September 12, 2025 – People everywhere want to live in safe, healthy communities where children can thrive, where families are protected from preventable harm, and where governments take common sense actions to prioritize the common good. This shared vision – for dignity, well-being, and fairness – is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda and the global commitment to leave no one behind.
But the final version of the UN Political Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health falls far short of delivering on that promise and vision – particularly when it comes to addressing the role of alcohol in driving non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer and cardiovascular disease and mental health conditions, such as suicide, depression, and addiction.
The UN Political Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health is set to be formally adopted during the 4th High-Level Meeting (HLM4) on NCDs and Mental Health on September 25. Health Policy Watch is exclusively reporting that Member States have agreed the final declaration.
While minor improvements to how the declaration addresses alcohol policy were made compared to previous drafts, the final text remains vague and inadequate. The declaration has been compromised in its treatment of alcohol policy by alcohol industry interference.
Movendi International criticises the outcome as a political setback that disregards both scientific evidence and previous global commitments.
This declaration had the potential to become a turning point for alcohol policy,” said Kristina Sperkova, International President of Movendi International.
But instead of building on the decision and momentum from 2022, when countries unanimously adopted the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan, what we now see is a deeply inadequate and politically compromised text. It ignores the lived realities of millions of people affected by alcohol harm every day.”
Kristina Sperkova, International President, Movendi International
The missed opportunity is especially stark given the unanimous adoption of the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022–2030, which called for accelerated action on alcohol harm as a public health priority. That mandate has been ignored. The final declaration excludes alcohol from the fast-track commitments and fails to include any target to reduce alcohol use – even though alcohol is the leading risk factor for death and disease among people aged 15 to 49 globally.
This is the textbook definition of policy capture,” said Maik Dünnbier, Director of Strategy and Advocacy at Movendi International.
The alcohol industry’s fingerprints are all over this declaration. Instead of aligning with WHO’s evidence-based tools, the final text prioritizes ambiguity and inaction.”
Maik Dünnbier, Director of Strategy and Advocacy, Movendi International
Movendi has tracked the negotiations from the Zero Draft through Revisions 1 to 4. Earlier drafts had included several alcohol policy “Best Buys,” such as alcohol advertising bans and common-sense limits on alcohol availability. But these were deleted due to alcohol lobby pressure and were only re-inserted in a diluted way – a clear example of how commercial interference can undermine evidence-based health action in the people’s interest.
By contrast, tobacco policy receives clear, time-bound targets, specific policy guidance, and commitments to protect public health policymaking from industry interference.
Cancer due to alcohol is rising and alcohol use disorder and addiction are widespread among the global population. But most countries reported no progress on the alcohol policy best buys since 2010,” said Kristina Sperkova.
This clearly shows the urgent need for action. Yet this declaration avoids meaningful action. That’s unacceptable.”
Kristina Sperkova, International President, Movendi International
Member States and WHO have identified alcohol as an urgent “public health priority” and called for “accelerated action”. And WHO warns that without major policy changes, the global target of a 10% reduction in population-level alcohol use by 2030 will not be met – currently alcohol consumption is projected to rise instead.
Missed Opportunity and Structural Weaknesses
Despite modest references to alcohol taxation and vague mention of alcohol marketing and availability policies, the declaration fails to deliver a coherent or committed response to alcohol harm in line with previous commitments. Several critical flaws undermine its credibility and effectiveness.
First, the final declaration excludes alcohol policy from the fast-track commitments and fails to include any target to reduce alcohol use – even though Member States have called for accelerated action on alcohol harm as public health priority previously and alcohol is the leading risk factor for death and disease among people aged 15 to 49 globally.
Second, while it is positive that alcohol taxation is included as a health-promoting fiscal policy, the final text removes the clear, measurable target that appeared in earlier drafts: that 80% of countries should introduce or increase alcohol and tobacco taxes by 2030. This backtracking jeopardises accountability and undermines efforts to close implementation gaps.
Third, the declaration fails to commit to SAFER, the state-of-the-art alcohol policy blueprint that Member States themselves approved in 2022. It does not reference the Best Buys or Quick Buys by name either.
Fourth, the declaration fails to call for scaling up screening and brief interventions for alcohol use disorder and addiction – despite overwhelming evidence of their cost-effectiveness and immediate impact.
Fifth, the declaration continues to rely on the flawed, stigmatising, and misleading concept of the “harmful use of alcohol” – a term that fails to reflect the evidence of alcohol harm and is strategically deployed by the alcohol industry to mislead the public. To make matters even worse, in the declaration the term is used inconsistently and in contradictory ways. In one section, it refers to a clinical diagnosis; in other sections, it refers to the WHO definition of population-level harm. This internal contradiction confuses public health priorities, obscures the full scope of alcohol’s burden, and dilutes the clarity needed to achieve alcohol policy progress.
The omission of SAFER is indefensible,” said Maik Dünnbier.
Governments have already endorsed this technical package. It’s mind-boggling that screening and brief interventions for people who need support with alcohol problems is also omitted.
To leave out these proven solutions signals capitulation to industry interference.”
Maik Dünnbier, Director of Strategy and Advocacy, Movendi International
And the sixth missed opportunity is that the declaration does include general language on conflict of interest and briefly acknowledges the commercial determinants of health. But it fails to apply these concepts meaningfully to alcohol policy. There is no recognition of alcohol industry interference as a barrier to progress – despite overwhelming evidence that lobbying and policy capture by alcohol industry actors are major obstacles to public health oriented alcohol policy progress. Unlike tobacco control, which is protected by a dedicated global treaty and explicit commitments to shield policy from industry influence, alcohol policy remains politically vulnerable.
This double standard is deeply troubling,” said Kristina Sperkova.
Member States are frequently expressing concern about alcohol industry interference and the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan clearly identifies industry interference as a challenge – yet this declaration is silent on it. We cannot build a fair and healthy future if we allow the same corporations that fuel the NCDs crisis to shape the solutions.”
Kristina Sperkova, International President, Movendi International
Movendi International warns that the new political declaration fails to mark a turning point and instead is a missed opportunity to put the world on-track for achieving the alcohol targets of the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan and SDG 3.5. Movendi calls on governments, UN agencies, and civil society to step up implementation efforts at national and regional levels.
People support alcohol policy action. And the alcohol policy best buys are proven to yield benefits for people, economies, and social justice,” said Maik Dünnbier.
People power can still move this agenda forward. We will keep exposing industry interference and supporting countries in their alcohol policy initiatives to achieve health, equity, and development for all people.”
Maik Dünnbier, Director of Strategy and Advocacy, Movendi International
Note for editors
Movendi Analysis and Resources for HLM4 on NCDs and Mental Health
Movendi International has followed the HLM4 negotiations closely and developed a dedicated advocacy priority page to support alcohol policy inclusion in the UN Political Declaration.
The page provides in-depth analysis of each draft of the declaration, tracks key changes and omissions, and offers evidence-based recommendations rooted in the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan.
It serves as a go-to resource for understanding the state of alcohol policy in the HLM4 process and the role of industry interference in shaping the outcome.
About Movendi International
With 170+ Member Organization from 60+ countries, Movendi International is the largest independent global social movement for alcohol policy advocacy to reach the sustainable development goals.
We unite, strengthen and empower civil society to tackle alcohol as serious obstacle to development on personal, community, societal and global level.
We partner with governments worldwide to support evidence-based and common-