Glenis Willmott kicks off our cover story feature on EU alcohol policy by calling on Europe to put the health of its citizens first. The British S&D deputy writes, "Alcohol remains a huge problem which is estimated to cost the EU economy €125bn a year and is linked to a range of health problems, including liver disease, heart disease and cancer." Willmott urges action against overly cheap alcohol, saying, "Price is one of the most effective ways to influence alcohol consumption." German MEP Renate Sommer, however, says that "There cannot be one unified approach throughout the EU to reduce the consumption of alcohol". "Legislators cannot be responsible for pressurising people to adopt healthy lifestyles," she writes.