The article was written by Professor Krzysztof Koźmiński, PhD, DSc, Managing Partner at Jabłoński Koźmiński & Partners.

The ongoing work to tighten the provisions of the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety has been accompanied by a recurring argument concerning the potential loss of PLN 100 million in sponsorship funding. To what extent are these concerns justified, and to what extent do they reflect an attempt to defend the advertising privilege enjoyed by a single industry for more than twenty years?

In the article, the author examines the most controversial issues surrounding the proposed amendments to Poland’s alcohol legislation and seeks to answer the following questions:

• Would the loss of PLN 100 million in sponsorship funding genuinely spell defeat by default for smaller sports clubs and cultural events?
• Why is the freedom to advertise beer merely a statutory privilege introduced in 2001, rather than an inherent market right?
• Who ultimately bears the enormous social and healthcare costs of alcohol misuse in Poland, estimated at more than PLN 93 billion annually?
• How have other European Economic Area countries, including France, Lithuania and Norway, addressed the prohibition of sponsorship by the alcohol industry?
• How do the authors of the draft legislation intend to ensure stable funding for the Fund for Sports Activities for School Pupils without the involvement of beer brands?

We invite you to read the full article.