Newsletter April 2004

Presidency publishes new text for IGC discussions, 3 May

In preparation for IGC Focal points meeting on 4 May 2004, the Irish Presidency has published a new draft (CIG 73/04) of the Constitutional Treaty based on Document CIG 60/03 ADD1, incorporating changes to the Naples text of December 2003. However, the Presidency emphasized that this new document is not an official proposal and that issues related to Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) still need to be worked out. But no new concerns could be tabled by Member States. The next IGC meetings (on (...)

Website launched on European Parliament Elections

The European Parliament has launched a new website about the elections which will be held across Europe on 10-13 June 2004. The website includes lists of candidates, statistics about each country and an overview of the outgoing Parliament (1999 - 2004). EP Elections website

AIRNET 3rd annual conference

AIRNET, the thematic network on air pollution and health, organises a conference on 21-23 October 2004 in Prague. The conference will address the question to what extent AIRNET has succeeded in bridging the gap between policy and science. This was one of AIRNET’s goals when it was initiated in 2002. National and EU policy makers, industry, patient, environmental and health care organisations and researches involved in the field of air pollution and health as well as everyone (...)

EPHA secretariat news April 2004

EPHA moves offices On 5 April 2004, the EPHA Secretariat moved to a new office in the European quarter of Brussels. EPHA members are welcome to visit the office and talk to the team. Please update your mailing lists with our new address: 39-41 Rue d’Arlon, B-1000 Brussels. The telephone, fax and email details remain unchanged. Bridging the Gap Tamsin Rose particated in the pre-meeting for speakers and moderators for the ’Bridging the Gap’ conference being organised by (...)

European GMO control network expands

On 30th of April 2004, 24 national enforcement laboratories from the acceding countries have joined the European Network of Genetically Modified Organisms’ (GMO) Laboratories (ENGL). The ENGL, which previously included 47 control laboratories from Member States will expand to 71 with 24 labs from the Acceding Countries. An enlarged ENGL will improve the network’s ability to detect and screen GMOs and provide a sound scientific basis for enforcing biotechnology legislation. (...)

An enlarged EU: an opportunity for health?

1st May 2004 represents a both historical and symbolic landmark in the process of European integration. Initiated more than 50 years ago, the concept of the European Union now includes some of the countries that once belonged to the former Communist block. While undoubtedly a milestone in the ‘ever wider and closer’ European experiment, this new enlargement also raises a whole range of serious challenges particularly in terms of health and health policies. Importance of (...)

Health related publications, April 2004

Introduction tour to the European Institutions and EU Decision Making Process AGE, the European Older People’s Platform, has published an up-dated compilation of the seminar organised in June 2003 with the support of the European Commission to introduce older people’s organisations from acceding countries to the EU. AGE has also issued its Annual Report 2003. Convergence with EU Environmental legislation in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia: A Guide The European (...)

April 2004 newsletter

Welcome to the April 2004 edition of the EPHA Newsletter, The European landscape is experiencing rapid change. More than a decade of political expectation and administrative preparation comes to a climax on Saturday 1 May 2004 as the EU-15 becomes the EU-25. Recent national elections in a number of European countries have resulted in changes in government and rekindled hope of an agreement on a new EU Treaty by the close of the Irish Presidency. About 2/3rds of the 732 MEPs elected on (...)

Report on the link between science and public health policy

The Wellcome Trust has published a report on the state of public health sciences in the UK and made recommendations on measures to enhance the impact upon the public health. A working group was convened to address public health sciences and how they relate to public health practice in the inter-related areas of health services, health protection and health improvement. The report notes that impressive achievements in the biomedical sciences and medical care can obscure the fact that the (...)

EMEA consultation on patient information

The European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) has released recommendations for improving information for patients. The document was drafted together with stakeholders groups and covers three main areas: information provision adapted to patients’ needs developing appropriate communication tools increasing public awareness on drugs and EMEA’s roles EPHA has been involved in developing the recommendations on pharmacovigilance. Patient information has been a key political (...)