Germany moves to close longstanding underage drinking loophole

Germany’s federal cabinet has approved a draft law that would ban so-called “accompanied drinking” by 14- and 15-year-olds under adult supervision, a practice that has been permitted for more than 70 years.

The cabinet approved a proposal put forward by Family Minister Karin Prien of the CDU, who argues that the exception weakens protections for young people against the significant health and social consequences of alcohol consumption and conflicts with the government’s goal of improving addiction prevention, German media outlets recall, as Caliber.Az reports.

People must generally be at least 16 to drink alcohol across the country. However, there has been an exception: when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, 14- and 15-year-olds have been allowed to drink beer or wine under a law dating back to 1952.

A minimum age of 16 already applies to the purchase and public consumption of beer, wine, sparkling wine and mixed drinks made from them. The current exception applies when “young people are accompanied by a person with parental responsibility,” according to Germany’s Youth Protection Act — for example, their parents. Other alcoholic beverages, such as spirits, may only be sold to or consumed by adults.

The move has received support from Germany’s state health ministers, who called for the exception to be abolished last year because of concerns over addiction and the potential long-term effects of alcohol consumption among young people.

The Bundesrat subsequently launched an initiative supporting a ban, while Federal Drug Commissioner Hendrik Streeck has also backed the government’s proposal.

The cabinet’s decision now moves the legislation forward in Germany’s parliamentary process, potentially bringing an end to a provision that has remained in place for more than seven decades.

By Nazrin Sadigova