Legal drinking age ‘could be raised to 18’

The federal government is considering banning the sale of alcohol to anyone under the age of 18,Flemish broadcaster VTM claimed yesterday. At the moment, anyone can order a glass of beer or wine in a Belgian cafe from the age of 16. For spirits, such as vodka or whisky, the Belgian legal age is 18. The legislation, however, could soon change, VTM says. Two separate proposals are in the pipeline to tackle the problem of youth alcohol consumption. "The first proposal suggests that the minimum age be raised to 18, like in the Netherlands," said Jan Eyckmans of the Federal Public Service for Public Health. “The second proposal makes a distinction based on alcohol content. Youngsters aged between 16 and 18 years would no longer be allowed to drink beverages with an alcohol content greater than 15%." Nineteen European countries apply a ban on alcohol below the age of 18. Beside Belgium, six countries have set the age limit at 16, while two European states have set the limit at 17.