This is the last full calendar year of activity for the Barroso Commission and the annual workplan outlines the key initiatives.

In October 2007, the Commission published their objectives for 2008 reiterating their focus on the strategic objectives of prosperity, solidarity, security and freedom, and a stronger Europe in the world.

In addition to the items on the Commission work plan that are specifically health related, and lead by DG SANCO, there are several others that merit scrutiny.

DG Enterprise has the most items in the workplan that have an obvious relevance to health. They include:

 Directive on Toy safety (January) that is a simplification and improvement to the current Directive;
 Regulation on Pharmacovigilance (October) which is a rationalisation and simplification of the current system;
 Directive on Information to patients (October) which will be a revision of the current Directive taking account of developments in society (empowered patients seeking more information) and technology (increased use of the internet;
 Regulations & Directives aimed at a simplification of the post licensing changes to medicines (April);
 Directive in the 1st trimester codifying the various laws on colouring agents that may be added to medicinal products;
 Report on the general strategy for simplification of the regulatory environment (January);
 Horizontal Communication on better regulation serving as a report from the Commission to the Spring Council of EU Heads of Government and Heads of State;
 Communication on the future of the single market in pharmaceuticals (October).

DG Employment has two items in the workplan with relevance to health. They are:

 Directive outlining an initiative to improve the employment protection for pregnant and breast feeding mothers (September);
 Directive to improve the current Directive protecting workers from needlestick injuries (September).

DG Agriculture also has two items in the workplan with relevance to health. They are:

 Legislative proposals that are identified as necessary from the review (the so called health-check) of the Common Agricultural Programme (May);
 Council Decision in the 2nd trimester for a mandate to participate in the OIV;

Also having two items related to health in the 2008 Commission work plan is the Transport part of DG Energy and Transport. They are:

 Directive on traffic law enforcement in the area of drink driving, seat-belt use, and speeding (February);
 an Action plan on urban mobility (October).

Meanwhile the Energy part of DG Energy and Transport has:

 Directive on Ionisating radiation protection that will recast into a single Directive all the current laws (December).

Meanwhile from a Global Perspective,DG Development will have several initiatives of relevance to health. Of all the activities the DG will undertake this year the two of most significance for health will be:

 Umbrella Communication titled "doing more better and faster - delivering on our commitments" that will be an overview of aid effectiveness, development policy coherence, aid commitments and aid for trade (March);
 Communication within the climate change agenda that will frame the implementation for the 10th EDF Natural Disaster Facility (October)"

This leaves a further three Directorate Generals with a single item of specific relevance to health:

 DG Environment has a White Paper on adaptation to Climate change (November);
 DG TAXUD has Legislative proposals foreseen for the 1st trimester to modernise the provisions for the taxation of tobacco products taking account the proper functioning of the internal market;
 DG INFOSOC has a Recommendation in the 1st trimester on interoperability in e-Health systems.

The European Commission’s Communication on health strategy from late 2007 outlined a process of ’health in all policies’. The 2008 work programme is a good opportunity to implement this process of integrating public health concerns into all of the Commission activities.