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Soft drinks, food, tobacco, alcohol and e-cigarettes are among the most regulated consumer products in Europe. At the 2017 launch of the Nanny State Index, consumer choice will be on the forefront of discussions. The Index looks at the different levels of regulation across European countries, examining their effectiveness and impact on consumers.

Specific laws and taxation regimes – often at the national rather than EU level - have become increasingly popular as a way to limit their consumption and improve public health.

However, some fear the trend is shifting towards “over” rather than “better” regulation and that restrictive measures are not always effective.

EURACTIV organised this high-level Forum to discuss the way forward for better regulation and public health and to discuss the findings of the Nanny State Index 2017. Questions included:
- Do these regulations really work? Are there other, more effective tools that can be used to better inform and protect consumers?
- Have health and regulatory policies achieved their goals?
- How can a balance between individual freedom of choice and protection of consumers be implemented?
- What role for the EU and national governments? And for corporates?
- How can scientific and societal research better inform policy-making?

This event is part of the Nanny State Index Conference 2017, during which the new 2017 index will be presented. For more information on the full Conference, please visit the website http://nannystateindex.org


A summary of the discussion can be found in this article published on EURACTIV.

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