EU Member State governments have repeatedly challenged the European Commission to put forward a comprehensive strategy to tackle the problem of irresponsible and excessive drinking.  The EC has produced a draft working paper on an EU alcohol strategy which covers the whole sector, including advertising. According to the Commission, the industry spends too little resource on self-regulation, compared to the money used for advertising campaigns, and it views self-regulation as fragile and generally ineffective. The Amsterdam Group is drafting a response to the Strategy, but internally within the EC the proposal is on hold pending the start of the new Commissioner on 1^st November 2004.