The European Beer Consumers' Union (EBCU) is a consumer organisation founded in 1990 in Bruges, Belgium, by three national beer organisations: CAMRA (United Kingdom), Objectieve Bierproevers (Belgium) and PINT (Netherlands).
History
In 2003, Objectieve Bierproevers was replaced by Zythos.
In 2008, the member organisations signed up to a constitution which defined the formal aims and structure and the role of traditional beer as a "prime component of European culture, history and daily life".
Beoir, an Irish consumer organisation setup in 2010 to promote Irish craft brewing and microbreweries, became the organisation's 13th member in 2012.
In 2012, Terry Lock, chairman since 1999, retired and Henri Reuchlin from the Netherlands was elected to replace him. Bo Jensen from Denmark replaced Henri Reuchlin as chairman in 2018, serving until 2022. In 2022, André Brunnsberg of Finnish organisation Olutliitto was elected Chair.
Members
As of March 2023, the union's website listed 21 members from 17 European countries:
Country | Acronym | Organisation Name | Founded |
---|---|---|---|
Spain | ACCE | Asociación de Cerveceros Caseros Españoles | 2009 |
Ireland | Beoir | 2010 | |
Austria | BierIG | BierIG Österreich | 2002 |
Iceland | Bjórmenningarfélag Íslands | 2021 | |
Poland | Bractwo Piwne | 1995 | |
United Kingdom | CAMRA | Campaign for Real Ale | 1971 |
Spain | CELCE | Club Español de Coleccionismo Cervecero | 1987 |
Denmark | DBE | Danske Ølentusiaster [da] | 1998 |
France | FNABRA | Fédération Nationale des Associations Brassicoles | 2002 |
Germany | GBCU | German Beer Consumers Union | 2019 |
Switzerland and Liechtenstein | GFB | Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Biervielfalt | 1991 |
Italy | MoBI | Movimento Birra | 2003 |
Finland | Olutliitto | 1992 | |
Poland | PSPD | Polskie Stowarzyszenie Piwowarów Domowych | 2010 |
Czech Republic | SPP | Sdružení přátel piva | 1990 |
Sweden | SÖ | Svenska Ölfrämjandet | 1985 |
Netherlands | PINT | Vereniging Promotie Informatie Traditioneel Bier | 1980 |
Netherlands | Beer Geeks | ||
Italy | Unionbirrai | 1999 | |
Belgium | ZYTHOS | Zythos | 2003 |
Norway | Norbrygg | 1998 |
Aims
The union campaigns on European level to:
- To preserve and maintain the diversity of the traditional European beer cultures, with particular regard to local, regional and national brewing and beer styles
- To protect the consumer from the imposition of unfair pricing by opposing unreasonable taxation or exploitative business practices
- To ensure that the consumer receives the best factual information about any beer on commercial sale.
References
- Dredge, M. (2014). Craft Beer World: A guide to over 350 of the finest beers known to man. Ryland Peters & Small. p. 438. ISBN 978-1-909313-37-8. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- EBCU official press release: Ireland Joins the EBCU, European Beer Consumers' Union, 9 Nov 2012, archived from the original on 29 June 2013, retrieved 2013-06-29
- "EBCU Press Release: Dutchman to lead European Beer Consumers". Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
- EBCU (2018-11-10). "Bo Jensen has been elected as the new Chairman of EBCU.pic.twitter.com/xyFrvowlAq". @ebcu1. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
- "New chairman appointed for two years". EBCU. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- "EBCU member groups". EBCU website. Retrieved 10 October 2022.