Winter 2010 Newsletter

Welcome to the Winter 2010 Newsletter

Brussels has launched into 2010 with a renewed vigour and sense of expectation. The Parliamentary hearings went by without too much contention, with the exception of the Bulgarian designate who was quickly replaced, and the overall impression was that the incoming Commissioners were given a relatively easy time by their colleagues across Rue Belliard. Barroso II is an interesting mix of experienced and enthusiastic politicians, with reshuffled portfolios and a strengthened Secretariat General. President Barroso is keen to demonstrate his intentions to strengthen the social Europe, as his new College powers show, however the result of the EU 2020 consultation is a sorely disappointing precursor to this term.

The consultation itself was held over the Christmas period - a poor decision for Europe’s most important public show of accountability and listening to its citizens. Many civil society stakeholders, including EPHA and the EU Health Policy Forum, worked long into the holidays in order to input into this crucial process, only to find the overview - appearing very quickly, and just ahead of the February Council meeting - glosses over the criticisms and strong concern that the social aspects of the strategy are insufficient and need to be re-thought.

President Barroso’s intentions are clearly in the right direction, however his services will need to pay more attention to what is being said if Europe is to prosper and our underlying problems and challenges addressed in the near future.

On another note, 2010 is the Year of the Lung. EPHA will be supporting its members the European Respiratory Society in raising awareness this year, and this is an opportunity for us all to reflect on respiratory health - the ’canary in the goldmine’ of public health. Climate change, health inequalities, cancer, cardiovascular disease - all important challenges for Europe, and all important aspects of respiratory health.

Finally, this coming year is a testing year for this Commission and legacy of President Barroso who will be setting out the parameters of his final term as President of the European Commission. He has an opportunity to be remembered as a bold and leading light, who tackled Europe’s greatest challenges and challenged Europe’s failing economic policies - his success or failure is not an academic point. We are at a cross-roads and Barroso II has implications for all of us living in Europe as well as the future of the European Union.

Monika Kosinska

Secretary General

Brussels

Read all the online articles from our Winter 2010 Newsletter

EPHA members can find the following new information in the Members Only section :
 EPHA Training - Lisbon Treaty
 European Parliament public meeting on Information to Patients
 Tobacco Control Advocacy and Campaign Workshop
 International Conference on Healthcare and Trade, Rotterdam 10-11 December, 2009.
 EPHA is recruiting a Policy Officer for Health Systems and Professions
 Advertising “unhealthy” food to children
 EPHA Summary from the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health
 Unveiling the Spanish Presidency of the Council
 CSCG response to Commission’s Green Paper on Citizens’ Initiative
 2010 - The Year Ahead
 Fourth Global Health Policy Forum

Please note that if an EPHA member would like to highlight their activities in the EPHA Newsletter, the deadline to submit a news item is Friday 19 February 2010. Please send your items to the EPHA Secretariat