Half of music festivals serve alcohol to minors

Nearly half of Belgian festivals do not respect the ban on the sale of alcohol to young people under the age of  sixteen or eighteen, an initial inspection conducted by the federal public service for health indicates, De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad report today. Violations were observed in five out of ten festivals inspected. Inspections will continue at thirty festivals over the summer. "The most annoying is that festival organizers trivialize the sale of alcohol to young people," said Paul Van den Meersche of the inspectors’ team. Such inspections have been taking place since 2010. In 2012, fifty festivals had been controlled. Twenty-one festivals were fined a minimum of €300. Other festivals had also received a warning. The inspection service calls for young people under the drinking age to be given distinctive wristbands at the entrance of music festivals. Drinking age in Belgium is sixteen for beer and wine and eighteen for spirits.