For the past fifteen years or so, a team of researchers has been working to improve the tools used to analyze the impact of European alcohol prevention policies. The results of Amphora, the latest collaborative European project, confirm that prevention policies have had an impact on alcohol consumption, but that this impact has been less significant than that of certain profound societal changes. A clear understanding of the interactions between these societal changes and prevention policies is essential. Health authorities responsible for shaping their prevention policies must maintain a degree of independence from international recommendations based on meta-analyses. Significant differences in the interpretation of primary research are evident, as has been the case with educational approaches. It is also desirable that each country, particularly France, be able to conduct a national primary research program on prevention tailored to its culture. [author’s abstract]