Today, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna published an article entitled “Alcohol Addiction Prevention Policy and EU Law – The Devil Is in the Detail”, authored by the Managing Partner of Jabłoński Koźmiński & Partners, Dr Krzysztof Koźmiński, Associate Professor at the University of Warsaw.

The article draws on our expert’s direct observations from the work of the extraordinary parliamentary sub-committee examining draft anti-alcohol legislation (printed papers nos. 2007 and 2010). The conclusions are unequivocal and deserve the attention of anyone following this debate. On 20 April 2026, the European Commission issued two notifications relating to the legislative proposals under discussion.

As Professor Koźmiński notes: “Contrary to the narrative being constructed in the public domain, the proposed measures are not incompatible with EU law, and the Commission has not called into question the very idea of restricting the availability and advertising of alcohol.” What did the European Commission actually challenge? Is advertising for alcohol-free beer truly innocent marketing, or rather a sophisticated tool for building brand loyalty towards alcoholic products? And finally: should Poland follow the example of France, Ireland, or Lithuania and introduce more far-reaching restrictions?

The answers can be found in the article, available here.