Sale and distribution of alcohol and cigarettes

Selling and distributing alcoholic beverages and using alcohol companies as event sponsors

EPFL’s policy on serving alcohol at on-campus events held by students is set forth in LEX 8.3.2  

General requirements

  • Temporary permit: You must obtain a temporary permit for selling alcohol, issued by the West Lausanne police department. Only student associations recognized by EPFL can obtain this permit.

  • Times of day: Alcohol cannot be sold at EPFL between 3am and 5pm.

  • Notice for minors: You must clearly display a sign at your event stating the minimum legal age for purchasing and consuming alcoholic beverages.

Specific requirements

  • Minors: Alcoholic beverages cannot be sold to:
    – minors under the age of 16
    – minors under the age of 18 if the beverages are spirits (or considered as such)
    – individuals who are already intoxicated

  • Alcohol content: It is not permitted to sell drinks with an alcohol content by volume of more than 21%, or cocktails with an alcohol content by volume of more than 15%.

  • Containers: Glass containers are not allowed at evening or nighttime events where music is played. Exceptions may be made for seated dinners under certain circumstances.

Additional requirements

  • Price list: You must clearly display a list of prices for the drinks served at your event. The selection of drinks must include at least three different types of non-alcoholic beverages (e.g., bottled water, fruit juice and soda) sold at a price below the cheapest alcoholic beverage, even if that alcoholic beverage is smaller than 3 dL.

  • Cocktails: Cocktails cannot be prepared at the venue where they will be served. Beverages containing a combination of alcohol and energy drinks cannot be prepared at the event venue, except for Vodka Red Bull drinks sold in sealed containers.

Alcohol companies as event sponsors

Prior approval is required if you plan to use an alcohol company as an event sponsor. We advise against having one of these companies as your main sponsor. Banners and posters advertising alcoholic beverages cannot be displayed at your event, and alcoholic beverages cannot be actively promoted or handed out for free for marketing purposes.

Safety and prevention

Event organizers must:

  • Encourage responsible drinking, such as through booths and posters.
  • Actively encourage participants to use public transport or to carpool.
  • Offer at least three different types of non-alcoholic beverages at a price below the cheapest alcoholic beverage, even if that alcoholic beverage is smaller than 3 dL.

Selling and distributing cigarettes and using cigarette companies as event sponsors

EPFL campuses have been entirely non-smoking since May 2004, when LEX 1.5.2 was adopted. Our School has similarly introduced strict rules on selling cigarettes at on-campus events and using cigarette companies as event sponsors. These rules are given in LEX 8.3.3, which was last updated on 15 March 2021.

Sale and distribution of cigarettes

The sale of cigarettes on an EPFL campus is subject to strict rules and only allowed under specific circumstances.

  • Authorization: Cigarettes can only be sold during certain public events for which the request was made under the quota system.
  • Booth locations: Booths for selling cigarettes must be set up in secluded places away from the main event areas and cannot include distinguishing signs making them easy to identify.
  • Additional requirements
    – Gadgets cannot be sold, marketed or distributed to minors.
    – Related products cannot be sold or distributed at the booths.
    – Cigarettes can only be sold at the authorized booths

Cigarette companies as event sponsors

Companies that produce or distribute cigarettes cannot be sponsors of an event held on an EPFL campus, especially when the event is organized by a student association. Other applicable restrictions:

  • No advertising: Cigarette producers and distributors cannot be mentioned in any way (such as by displaying their logo) on the event’s marketing materials, including posters, brochures and flyers.
  • No reference: No reference may be made to cigarette producers and distributors during the event, such as by having their name or logo appear on staff T-shirts or event tickets.
  • No advertising materials: Cigarette companies’ advertising materials and discounts cannot be handed out at the event.
  • No signs: None of the event’s on-site visuals – such as banners, posters and images projected on screens – can refer to a cigarette company.

Non-compliance

Your event could be canceled if you fail to comply with the rules set out in LEX 8.3.3. EPFL reserves the right to take strict disciplinary action to uphold its public-health policies.