Commission Work programme 2013

In the field of health, there are several initiatives mentioned for next year:

• Review of the Thematic Strategy on air pollution and associated legislation - assess the implementation and achievements of current air pollution and include legislative proposals to revise NEC Directive and other air quality legislation as appropriate.
• Communication on the EU position on following up Rio+20 including the development of Sustainable Development Goals.
• Communication on the EU position on the Post-2015 development framework
• Proposals for reinforced partnering in research and innovation under Horizon 2020 through the renewal and creation of public-private partnerships in key industrial sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, energy, transport, aeronautics, electronics, air traffic management and bio-based products. Partnership ICT-based products and services for the elderly and for the fight against poverty-related diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• In order to support Member States’ policies on employment and job creation, there will be a youth guarantee in partnership with Member States and social partners.
• Social Investment for Growth and Cohesion Package in order to provide guidance on increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and adequacy of social protection systems; improving activating and enabling policies; social inclusion and adequate livelihoods. The Communication will feed into the Europe 2020 strategy and the European Semester to foster a social dimension in structural reforms.
• Recommendation on integration of the Roma to foster the implementation of National Roma Integration Strategies, based on the work of a Pilot Group of Member States representing a geographical balance and the diverse situations concerning Roma within the EU and identifying good practices and effective approaches to Roma Integration.
• Review of EU political and legal framework for organic production to:
   establish a sustainable management system for agriculture and; produce high quality products and a large variety of products responding to consumers’ demand for processes that are non-detrimental to the environment, health, or animal welfare. The review will verify whether they are still relevant and adapted to the future evolution of organic production.

 You can find the Commission work programme for next year here.

During the debate in Strasbourg, the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) Enrique Guerrero Salom (S&D, Spain), Andrew Duff (ALDE,UK), Michele Rivasi (Greens/EFA, France), and Martina Anderson (GUE/NGL Ireland), on behalf of their groups, asked the Commission to swiftly release the tobacco products directive for the current Parliament to legislate.

Commissioner Šefčovič, -a Commission Vice-president, and Commissioner for inter-institutional relations and administration- responded that it is absolutely vital that this legislator, this Parliament, work on the tobacco directive. He assured MEPs that it is a top priority for the Commission to present the tobacco directive in time for this Parliament to decide upon it.

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