Here's a round-up of this week's highlights in the global beer category. We are also running similar round-ups for spirits & wine and soft drinks & bottled water.

Craft beer now accounts for almost a fifth of the US beer market in value terms after the sub-category's rapid growth continued last year.

A significant obstacle to European beer’s growth in the US is the unfair tax treatment for Europe’s smaller brewers when compared to their US counterparts, argues The Brewers of Europe's secretary general, Pierre-Olivier Bergeron.

Yesterday afternoon, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced his Budget for the UK. From Monday (23 March), the following duty changes will come into effect on alcoholic products sold in the country:

SABMiller is to move away from one-country beer brands as they “slow down” the company, its CEO has said.

The Vietnamese government is poised to sell off control of Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp (Sabeco), according to local reports.

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Global beer market volume sales in 2014 were forecast to grow by 2%, according to Euromonitor International, primarily driven by the top five global brewers, which account for 48% of global sales. However, the continued volume sales decline in Russia and Ukraine, the dreary performance in the US and Western Europe, and the faltering Chinese beer market are likely to lower actual sales in 2014.

Pivovarna Lasko is poised to welcome a new majority owner, with the auction process for over half of the Slovenian brewer and soft drinks producer entering the home straight.

Diageo's CEO has said his company is “unlikely” to acquire a craft brewer and will instead deliver more innovations from its Guinness brewery. 

Anheuser-Busch InBev has spoken out after a UK marketing trade body accused the firm of “despicable" practices in dealing with ad agencies.

Heineken's CEO has warned that falling energy prices pose a danger to beer consumption in Nigeria, the Dutch brewer's second-biggest market by profit contribution.

Canada's Big Rock Brewery has announced an expansion into new territories as full-year results showed a drop in profits and sales.