Newsletter February 2005

Secretariat News February 2005

A new staff member joined the team. Murielle Chiltz is the new EPHA administrator. A French national, Murielle has experience of working in the European Commission and a network of local and regional authorities.
The EPHA Annual General Assembly (AGA) will be held in Brussels on Thursday 23 June 2005 (all day) and Friday 24 June 2005 (half day). Thursday 23 June will include a business meeting (election of Executive Committee members for the mandate 2005-2007, approval of new members and (...)

MHE training seminar for NGOs in new EU Member States

Mental Health Europe organised on Friday 4 February 2005 a training seminar entitled “European policies towards the integration of people with mental health problems”. The main objective of the seminar was to make NGOs in the new EU Member States familiar with EU policies that are relevant for people with mental health problems.
The seminar was organised within the framework of the EU Co-ordination Non Discrimination Programme, which coordinates fight against discrimination and (...)

Inter-Environnement Wallonie celebrates its 30th birthday

The EPHA member organisation Inter-Environnement Wallonie celebrated its 30th birthday last saturday (19 Feb 2005).
This association has recently been working on protecting and improving biodiversity at regional level. IEW does not only focus on environment governmental structures, but rather on a transectorial frame, calling to enhance biodiversity as a priority in all Ministerial policies.
On Saturday, celebrations in Namur (Belgium) included a conference on economic growth. Amongst (...)

Practical tool to self-evaluate public health authorities’ actions

The UK HDA - Health Development Agency dedicated to improving people’s health and reducing health inequalities - issued in December 2004 a self assessment tool for local councils. This instrument aims at helping councils evaluate whether there are gaps in their capacity to tackle local public health issues.
It is framed in recommendations and 5 checklists with different questions councils must answer to improve their action at local level :
What’s the level of understanding about health (...)

Belgian NGOs on HIV/AIDS and sexual health join forces

Since 2001 CGSO Trefpunt (associate member of IPPF working on sexual and reproductive health and rights, SRHR) and Sensoa an AIDS organisation have been exploring ways to cooperate more closely. This followed a call from the Belgian Ministry of Public Health to put forward an integrated approach to HIV and SRHR.
There were a number of obstacles to be overcome:
different target groups,
different stages of organisational development,
competition concerning grants,
and greater (...)

A Decade of "Water for Life" launched on world water day

According to UN estimates, 2.6 billion people (42% of the world population) lack access to even basic sanitation facilities. Each year, 1.8 million people die from diarrhoeal diseases, mostly in developing countries.
The annual World Water Day, 22 March, marks a permanent effort to promote access to safe drinking-water and sanitation throughout the world. The 2005 World Water Day coincides with the launch of the UN International Decade for Action "Water for Life 2005-2015".
The Decade is (...)

EU scientists find no link between parabens and breast cancer

Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in food products, medicines and cosmetics such as lipsticks and deodorants.
The Cosmetic Directive of 1976 sets the maximum concentration for their use in cosmetic products.
Since then, a number of scientific publications have suggested a link between breast cancer and the use of paraben-containing deodorants and antiperspirants.
DG SANCO requested an opinion from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) . The (...)

EU prepares response to biological or chemical terrorist attack

Policymakers around the world are increasing their planning activities to deal with a potential biological or chemical attack.
What to do in a chemical attack
The European Commission has issued practical guidance for the public about the what do to in the event of a chemical attack. The information is meant to help people understand how to prepare themselves and to make it easier for emergency services to act. The EU has said that this is part of their general approach to civil protection (...)

Three new bodies to coordinate more efficiently the EU fight against HIV pandemic

Following the Dublin Ministerial Conference “Breaking the Barriers - Partnership to fight AIDS/HIV in Europe and Central Asia”, the European Commission set up 3 bodies dedicated to coordinating the fight against HIV/AIDS in Europe and neighbouring countries.
The situation in new EU Member States and their neighbours particularly raises concern. In EU’s eastern neighbours, the rates of new infections are among the highest in the world especially in the Russian Federation, Ukraine (...)

Third Ministerial Conference on eHealth

eHealth is the use of information technologies, especially the Internet, to enhance the quality and accessibility of health services. Applications range from simple administrative tools such as managing patient databases to complex clinical applications which can support the clinician in diagnosis and treatment. As part of an overall approach to increasing the uptake of new technologies, the European Commission has managed an eHealth programme for several years.
The third Ministerial (...)

EU institutions react on Organic Food and Farming

The Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament has adopted in February an own initiative report by MEP Marie-Helene Aubert (Greens/EFA, FR) calling for more financial and institutional support for organic farming in Europe.
This follows the European Commission Communication: "European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming" (COM (2004) 415) issued in June 2004.
In December 2002 a working document entitled "Analysis of the possibility of a European Action Plan for organic food and (...)

Diet Nutrition, Physical Activity in the EU

There is no overall food and nutrition strategy at EU level.
For a number of years, many health NGOs have been calling for a comprehensive approach that would integrate overall nutrition goals, the Common Agriculture Policy, food safety measures and legislation on food labelling, marketing and promotion.
The role of inappropriate or poor nutrition in illness has been conclusively proved by the World Health Organisation: "41 % of healthy life years are lost through diseases with major (...)

French NGOs demonstrate against irradiation of food

Irradiation of food is permitted in the European Union according to legislative guidelines.
A number of French NGOs will demonstrate outside irradiation facilities on 5 March 2005 to indicate their strong concerns about potential danger from food irradiation and the lack of proper informaiton for consumers. Action Consommation, Agir Pour l’Environnement, Les Amis de la Terre - France, Association Léo Lagrange pour la Défense des Consommateurs, ATTAC - France, Biocoop Bure-Stop, (...)

Preparatory meeting for the Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health

A preparatory meeting to lauch the "Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health" was organised on the 15 February by DG Sanco.
This meeting included the members of the Obesity Round Table plus around 20 suggested additional participants and responsibles for health issues of the Permanent Representations of the EU Member States to the EU (involved in the preparation of Health Council meetings).
Amongst these suggested additional participants was EPHA.
DG Sanco’s report to the (...)

Sudan I scandal triggers concerns about food safety in the EU

Sudan I is a red dye which is commonly used to colour solvents, oils, waxes, petrol and shoe and floor polishes. It is not allowed to be added to food anywhere in the EU after tests on rats have shown it can cause bladder and liver cancer.
In addition, since 2003, when it was detected in some chilli powder imported from India, all chilli coming into the EU must be accompanied by a certificate showing it has been tested and found to be free of Sudan dye.
Despite stricter rules, the (...)

Fourth meeting of the Obesity Round Table sets up Platform for Action

On the 21 January 2005, DG SANCO’s Obesity Round Table met for the fourth time and confirmed the launch of a Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, foreseen in March 2005.
The Obesity Round Table is chaired by DG SANCO Director General Robert Madelin, and previous meetings were held in July, October and December 2004.
The meeting of 21 January focused mainly on the preparation of a document which will be the bases for a "Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health".
DG Sanco (...)

European Parliament adopts a report on workplace health and safety

On 24 February 2005, the European Parliament adopted an own-initiative report on "Promoting Health and Safety at the Workplace" by Jiri Mastalka (CZ, GUE/NGL).
The report is a reply to the Commission’s Communication on how the Framework Directive of 1989 and five individual Directives on occupational health and safety have been transposed into national law and applied (see related EPHA’s article).
Parliament’s resolution notes that Community legislation has made an important (...)

EU funding for information dissemination to combat violence

The European Commission’s DG Justice and Home Affairs, has an open call for proposals under the framework of Daphne II - the EU Programme to combat violence against women, young people and children.
The deadline for submission is 1 April 2005 for projects aiming at the dissemination and the use of results fomr existing and prior projects.
The Daphne II programme runs from 2004 until 2008 with a budget of EUR 50 million. Its objectives are to support organisations that develop measures (...)

EU must do more to meet targets on women’s health

The Luxembourg Presidency of the EU organised in early February a meeting to review the European implementation of goals stated at the Beijing Conference on Women in 1995. The Beijing confrence identified 12 areas as goals for improvement. Women’s health was one of the priorities.
Although the 25 Ministers responsible for Gender Equality in Luxembourg declared their commitment to improve the situation of women in Europe, “there are still many factors hindering gender equality” (...)

French Government committed to alleviate the burden of accidents at work place

Every year, nearly 5,500 people are killed on their workplace across the European Union according to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.
4.5 million accidents resulted in more than 3 days absence from work (amounting to around 146 million working days lost per year). These accidents are estimated to cost the EU about 20 billion Euro. The problem affects all sectors of the economy and is particularly acute in enterprises with less than 50 workers.
The French governement has (...)

Improving safety of children’s toys

The European Commission’ s [DG Enterprise->DG Entreprises is revising the Toy Safety Directive (88/378/EEC). Two consumer organisations, ANEC and BEUC, have been involved in providing stakeholder input.
Both NGOs have a joint position to strengthen two major points :
The use of the comitology process (1) in order to make the directive very flexible. It will allow a more detailed directive on issues such as chemicals content, noise, speed of toys.
Regarding the use of chemicals in toys, (...)

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control enters into force

An International Treaty for Tobacco Control
On 27 February, The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) enters into force, becoming binding international law for its Contracting Parties.
The FCTC is the first global public health treaty created under the auspices of the World Health Organisation. The final text was adopted unanimously in May 2003 (see related EPHA’s article).
Key provisions of the Treaty
The Framework Convention covers all aspects of tobacco control (...)

Improving health needs of homeless people

FEANTSA, the European Federation of National Organisation Working with the Homeless, has issued two policy statements calling health professionals and policy makers to create an effective health policy framework taking into account special health needs of homeless people.
At the same time, WHO European Office has given clear guidance on the same topic: WHO guidance - How can healthcare systems effectively deal with the major health care needs of homeless people ?.
The conclusions (...)

EU Action Plan on Drugs (2005-2008)

On 17 February 2005, the European Commission adopted a new Drugs Action Plan for the period 2005-2008. Its aims to significantly reduce the high levels of drug use, drug trafficking and the damage caused to EU societies through drug related crime, health problems and social exclusion.
The Action Plan transposes the general objectives contained in the EU Drugs Strategy (2005-2012) into concrete actions.
These include general policy measures, specific programmes aimed at the prevention of (...)

Eight central European countries to promote Roma inclusion

Eight Central European Countries have launched the project Decade of Roma Inclusion in Sofia (Bulgaria) on 2 February 2005.
The project is sponsored by the Open Society Institute and the World Bank, and it is also supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Commission.
Running from 2005 up to 2015, it aims at improving social inclusion and economic status of Roma people. Health condition is on top of the agenda.
Roma Health Data
More than seven million (...)

EU countries could do more for poorer countries

"EU Heroes and Villains" is the joint NGO briefing paper published by Oxfam, Eurodad and ActionAid which points out which EU countries are living up to their promises on aid, trade, and debt. It also recommends EU Member States to take very specific actions to improve.
The paper exposes Italy as the EU country that spends the least of its Gross National Income (GNI) on aid. Denmark is the one that gives the most: 0.84 (although it used to give more in the past).
Regarding basic social (...)

WHO Euro region agrees a resolution on alcohol-related harm

At its meeting on 22 January 2005, the World Health Organisation Executive Board approved a draft resolution to be presented for adoption by the World Health Assembly in May on “ Public Health Problems caused by harmful use of alcohol ” which emphasises the influence of alcohol consumption on public health.
The WHO notes that alcohol in Europe causes 9.2% of all ill-health and premature death. Between 40% and 60% of deaths from intentional and unintentional injury are (...)

Petition to WHO on research and development of medicines

On 24 February 2005, 162 non-governmental organisations, academics and politicians issued an open letter urging the World Health Organisation to evaluate the draft Medical Research and Development Treaty that has been drawn up over the past two years by a group of economists, scientists and public health experts
Existing trade agreements designed to bolster medical R&D investments focus nearly exclusively on stronger intellectual property rights and higher drug prices. This approach (...)

Tougher rules in the UK for advertising of pharmaceutical products

In February 2005, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) launched new, tougher guidance on advertising and promotion of medicines.
The key principle behind the guidelines is to prevent people from being misled by confusing advertising.
The main changes in the new guidance include:
Tougher measures against poor practice. In addition to any legal action which the Agency pursues over unlawful practice, it will also be publishing every review of an advert on its (...)

Developments on the Directive on Services in the Internal Market, February 2005

EP working party on Services Directive A working party on the Services Directive has been set up at the European Parliament. This news was announced on 1 February at a meeting of the EP Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, the EP Press Services report. The draft directive is regarded as one of the most important issues coming up before MEPs in the European Parliament’s current term of office.
The working party is intended to make it easier for MEPs and political (...)

General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) Position Statement on the draft Services Directive

The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) was established to protect the public and is responsible for the regulation, promotion and development of the osteopathic profession in the UK.
Whilst we recognise the importance of facilitating service provision across the EU, what sets osteopathy apart is that there are no formalised common standards of osteopathic training and practice across the European Union (EU). As one of two competent authorities for osteopathy in the EU, we have a number of (...)