May 2010 Newsletter

Welcome to the May 2010 Newsletter

After a slow start to the year, and months of political reshuffling, the institutions were in full swing during the month of May. Suddenly progress seemed possible and achievable on dossiers which have been dragging - a renewed stimulus on the Patient Rights’ Directive as well as fierce negotiations on food labelling gave a momentum to the final weeks of the legislative term. Health inequalities remained high on the political agenda, with the continuation of work under the European Year of Poverty, preparations for the Belgian Presidency and promises for more under Hungary and Poland’s steer during 2011. Health workforce issues appear to be moving towards a more general EU employment policy, although the Parliament demonstrated their commitment via a submitted Written Declaration.

More widely, continued ripples of economic pain were felt throughout capitals across Europe - from German to Greece, the crisis continues and public institutions urged austerity measures and rigid fiscal control in order to prevent a double recession. Once again, it is health and health services that are in the firing line. Supporters of welfare systems and public sector safety nets were in the minority this month, with many national governments preparing to tighten their belts in the times ahead. 2010 will already see the effects, but the real cuts will be felt in 2011 at a time when the vulnerability of our systems is most exposed. Jobs are still being lost across the Union, people are facing redundancy, poverty and ill-health with many states unable to support their populations. Brussels talk of growth, employment measures and a competitive Europe seems out of touch and elitist when people are increasingly not sure what their future holds. The European flagship initiative on poverty will have its work cut out.

Monika Kosinska

Secretary General

Brussels

Read all the online articles from our May 2010 Newsletter.

EPHA members can find the following new information in the Members Only section:

 A new CAP for development
 article 4081
 Dalli presents EC 2010 Work Programme
 Report on Social Platform Working Group on Services of General Interest in the EU
 Report on the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health meeting of 4 May 2010
 Report on the EPHA exchange of views with Spanish Presidency
 Greens/EFA hearing: How is biodiversity feeding the world?
 Climate change mitigation and social justice in Europe: stakeholder dialogue closing event
 Development Policy Forum - Where is EU aid policy headed?
 How does European trade policy impact on public health?

Please note that, due to the EPHA office move from one floor to another, the June newsletter will be shorter. The release date is the second week of July. If an EPHA member would like to highlight their activities in the EPHA Newsletter, the deadline to submit a news item is Friday 25 June 2010. Please send your items to the EPHA Secretariat