Legislation alcoholWinter in Antwerp 2016-2017
During the 2016-2017 winter festival – of which the Christmas market forms part – the City of Antwerp wants to increase its focus on a moderate intake of alcohol and a healthy lifestyle.
That is why during the Christmas market, in tandem with all relevant city council departments, Antwerp will make sure existing alcohol laws are enforced and age limits for selling, serving and offering alcoholic beverages are observed.
The City of Antwerp will take the necessary steps to communicate these specific concerns with Christmas market visitors. The market stall holders are expected to observe current alcohol legislation and point this out to the visitors to their drink stalls.
Legislation:
No alcohol sold to youngster under 16
On 31 December 2009, the amendment was published in the Official Gazette on age limits for selling and serving alcohol to young people. The amendment, which came into force on 10 January 2010, can be summed up as follows:
- It is prohibited to sell, serve or offer alcohol to those under 16. Alcohol shall be taken to mean all alcoholic beverages of more than 0.5% vol. including beer, wine, sparkling and other, fermented beverages and anything in between, such as port, sherry and martini.….
- Spirits may not be sold, served or offered to those under 18. Spirits shall be taken to mean all products of GN codes 2207 and 2208, with an effective alcohol strength by volume of more than 1.2 % vol, even when those products form part of a product from another chapter of the Combined Nomenclature of the Common Customs Tariff of the European Communities; products of GN codes 2204, 2205 and 2206 with an effective alcoholic strength by volume exceeding 22 % vol; spirit drinks which may, or may not, contain products in solution.
- ID may be required from anyone wishing to buy alcohol/spirits.
- No alcoholic beverages for persons in drunken state.
Public intoxication is punishable under the Decree of 14 November 1939 on public drunkenness. The same law prohibits, among things, the serving of ‘intoxicating’ beverages to someone who is obviously drunk, forcing someone to drink until they are drunk, render someone in a drunken state deliberately, with this resulting in illness, disability or death, or suggest, or accept, drinking challenges.
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