Newsletter July 2007

Conference: "Reducing the harm caused by alcohol", November 2007

The Royal College of Physicians launches a new event entitled Reducing The Harm Caused By Alcohol: A Coordinated European Response, that will take place on 13 November 2007, in London.
The one-day conference aims to bring together representatives from the UK and European medical professionnals to share the latest evidence and experience. Moreover, it will produce a Conference Charter for a coordinated response to reduce the harm caused by alcohol on Europe.
The event, financially supported (...)

Secretariat News July 2007

Read here the activities of the staff members in July 2007.
Events organised by EPHA
On 4 July 2007 Frazer Goodwin and Patricia Fernández Pérez organised the launch event for the report Health Warning, published by the NGO network Action for Global Health in Brussels. The event was attended by several journalists for the press event and by more that 40 assistants in the seminar. The article about the event can be found in EPHA’s Society Section.
Caroline Bollars, the new policy officer (...)

FEANTSA "Homeless in Europe" magazine & ENHW Newsletter Summer 2007 issues

The European Federation of National Organisations working with the homeless (FEANTSA) published two documentations. The magazine “Homeless in Europe” which deals with the “Criminalisation of People who are Homeless” and the 2nd issue of the European Network of homeless Health Workers (ENHW) newsletter.
The "Homeless in Europe" magazine
The "Homeless in Europe" magazine is published three time a year. You can download all issues of this magazine in electronic format (...)

Conference on HIV and migration in Lisbon, June 2007

In preparation of the Portuguese Presidency the European Aids Treatment Group (EATG)organised a conference on HIV and migration in Lisbon, June 2007. The focus of the conference was on access to prevention, care and treatment.
The Portuguese Presidency of the European Union (EU) which started in July 2007 will highlight discussions on health and migration issues. To start a series of discussions the EATG organised an event on HIV and migration.
Epidemiological data from different European (...)

EPHA Recruits a Secretary General, July 2007

The deadline to apply closed on Monday 10 September 2007.
The recruitment has been completed in November 2007.
The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) represents over 100 non-governmental and other not-for-profit organisations working in support of health in Europe. One third of EPHA members are pan-European or international networks.
EPHA aims to promote and protect the health interests of all people living in Europe and to strengthen the dialogue between the EU institutions, citizens (...)

Health Warning - critical health situation in developing countries

A Health Warning on the critical situation for health in developing countries has been issued in report by Action for Global Health - an NGO network of 15 European NGOs including the European Public Health Alliance.
Brussels - 4 July 2007 - At the mid-point of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Europe is significantly off-track in fulfilling the promises they committed themselves to on improving health in developing countries. This is the main conclusion of the report published by (...)

EU Commission launches Green Paper on climate change

A Commission Green Paper on adapting to climate change promises a 2008 Communication on the health impacts and policies necessary because of climate change.
The European Commission, DG Environment, adopted a Green Paper on Adapting to Climate Change in Europe: options for EU action , on 29 June 2007. Commissioner Stavros Dimas gave a lecture on the subject in a conference that took place in Brussels on 3 July 2007.
The Green Paper on climate change is the Commission’s first comprehensive (...)

European pilot project in Human Biomonitoring

In the framework of the 2004-2010 European Environment and Health action Plan and under the 7th Framework Programme, the European Commission is preparing a project pilot on human biomonitoring (HBM). The project aim to measure pollutants in human tissues and fluid. The data can be used to fine tune or even launch environment and health policy, and allow policy makers to identify priorities. In this project NGOs play a important role
Objectives of the Human Biomonitoring
HBM calculates (...)

Mercury: towards an overall EU ban

In the framework of the European Commission, the EU mercury strategy launched in 2005 the European Parliament work on the mercury ban. First of all, on the 20 June 2007, the European Parliament plenary session approved a draft regulation on the banning of exports and the safe storage of mercury by 2010. Secondly, the plenary session of the European Parliament approved a mercury ban on measuring instruments for domestic use, with a two year exemption for barometer manufacturers. (...)

EU Commission urges EU states to reduce CO2 emissions

The European Commission, based on a status report from the European Environment Agency (EEA), has urged EU member states to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emission in a statement that took place on 14 June, in Brussels.
Commissioner Stravos Dimas has welcomed the EEA’s report which concludes that the European Union’s greenhouse gas emission fell by 0.7% in 2005. However, Mr. Dimas has underlined that member states need to improve their efforts to limit emissions (...)

**Updated** 2007 IGC talks: EU leaders reach agreement on a ’Reform Treaty’

On 19 October 2007, the 27 Member States finally reached agreement on the text of the Reform Treaty which will be formally adopted on 13 December in Lisbon, Portugal.
In June, EU leaders agreed on the mandate for the 2007 Inter-governmental conference (IGC), to draft the Reform Treaty after the ’Constitutional Treaty’ of 2004 was rejected by popular referenda in France and the Netherlands. The final text differs from the original mandate in several areas.
The Reform Treaty
After much (...)

EU Ombudsman launches information campaign for organisations

The European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, launched an information campaign to organisations with a registered office in the EU, about their right to complain to the Ombudsman on 7 June 2007.
The campaign is directed to NGO’s, associations, companies, regional offices, schools and universities. The Ombudsman information sheet explains to these organisations how the Ombudsman can help settle problems with the EU administration, giving the following information:
What can you complain (...)

**Updated** European Commission public health portal launches online newsletter

The Health-EU Portal of the European Commission is now available in 20 of the official EU languages, and has just sent out the "Zero edition" of its online newsletter.
The Health-EU Portal
The Health-EU Portal aims to provide European Citizens with an easy access to reliable, multilingual and comprehensive information on Public Health initiatives and programmes at EU level.
The Portal was launched in English in May 2006 at the health conference in Málaga, Spain. From May 2006 to March (...)

European Week of Regions and Cities, October 2007

The Committee of Regions and European Commission (EC) DG Regional Policy will be organising a European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels on 8-11 October 2007.
The Open Days are organised by the EU Committee of Regions and the European Commission (EC) DG Regional Policy in partnership with a record 212 regions and cities from 33 countries.
The Open Days bring together different stakeholders such as EU decision makers, politicians, policy experts and civil society organisations.
The (...)

EU Commission proposal to amend the EU-Africa Strategy, June 2007

The European Commission adopted on 27 June 2007 a Communication outlining a new approach to the regional partnership agreement that is the EU-Africa Strategy. This Communication will form the basis for the discussions beetween EU and African heads of state at the EU Africa Summit in Lisbon at the ned of this year.
The Commission has adopted proposals presenting five flagship policy initiatives that embody a new approach to EU Africa relations:
EU-Africa Partnership on Energy
EU-Africa (...)

**Updated** Current EU research policy

The European Commission’s Directorate General on Research publicly launched the 7th European Research Programme (FP7) at a conference held by the German Presidency in Bonn on January 15-16, 2007. The 7th Research Framework Programme will run from 2007-2013. The first calls for proposals under FP7 were issued on 22 December 2006.
Information days for potential applicants were held across the EU during February 2007 (including one in Brussels on the 7-8 February attended by Silvia Marcos (...)

White Paper on sport: an-other step to tackle obesity

The European Commission, DG Sport, published a new White Paper on Sport on 11 July 2007, with the objective of giving strategic orientation on the role of sport in Europe.
The White Paper on Sport is focused on the societal role of sport which comprises the enhancement of public health through physical activity but also, the economic dimension and organisations in Europe, and the subsequent follow-up of the measures taken.
The White Paper is the result of extensive consultations over (...)

**Updated** Have your say on nanotechnology

Updated with suggested answers to the Commission consultation from health and environment organisations.
The European Commission has announced on 19 July 2007 a public consultation on responsible nanosciences and nanotechnologies research.
The consultation will provide input for a recommendation to the Member States on a possible Code of Conduct for this emerging area of science, which the Commission will put forward at the end of 2007.
Contributions are expected from a broad cross-section (...)

Meeting EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, July 2007

Find here the supporting documents from the February plenary meeting of the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health of July 2007.
An important document discussed at this meeting was the future of the Platform beyond 2007.
DG Sanco distributed a discussion paper two days before the meeting took place, and the participants gave their general opinion about the future of the Platform.
Members of the platform are also allowed to send written comments before the end of July 2007, so the (...)

HEAL releases new report "making the case for environmental justice in Central and Eastern Europe"

The Health & Environment Alliance (HEAL) and the Center for Environmental Policy and Law (CEPL) have launched a new report entitled “Making the Case for Environmental Justice in Central and Eastern Europe” at the Vienna Mid-Term Review of the Children’s Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE) 13-15 June 2007.
“Making the case for environmental justice in Central and Eastern Europe” provides sound support for the assertion that poor and (...)

European Respiratory Society and EPHA brief MEPs on Tobacco control Treaty

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and EPHA provided a lunch time briefing to MEPs in Strasbourg on the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control.
The Briefing was hosted by Jules Maaten MEP and a focus was the imminent meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention taking place in Bangkok. A presentation was given by Dr. Ogwell of the Kenyan Ministry of Health on the relevance of the Convention to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in low and middle income countries. Other (...)

International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking: EU calls for a "common language" to describe drug-related crime

To enable the EU to outline an effective prevention strategy against drug-related crime, EMEA took up the mission to define a "common language" to describe this complex phenomenon. EMEA’s policy briefing on the relationship between drugs and crime was released on the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, on 26 June 2007.
The EU drugs action plan (2005-2008) sets out the objective to prevent drug-related crime. But before countries can measure the extent of such crime (...)

Health in all policies seminar, June 2007

On 25 and 26 June 2007, the European Commission (EC), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies held a seminar on ’Health in all policies’ for the countries covered by the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).
The seminar underlined that population health is not merely a product of health sector activities but to a large extent is determined by living conditions and other societal and economic factors. At the same time good health is a (...)

"Healthier Together in the EU" a new Commission information brochure

DG Health and Consumer Protection of the European Commission published, on 27 June 2007, a new information brochure entitled "Healthier together in the European Union".
This 28 pages booklet includes information on health-related topics such as nutrition, alcohol, tobacco, HIV/AIDS, blood donation and organ transplant.
The brochure aims to help people make healthier lifestyle choices. But it also explains which actions the EU and Member State are taking in this area with information on (...)

England’s smoking ban has come into effect

A new smoke-free law entered into force in England on 1 July 2007: it is now prohibited to smoke in virtually all "enclosed" and ’substantially enclosed’ public places and workplaces.
The main aim of the British government is to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.
Key points of the new legislation are:
Public transport and work vehicles used by more than one person must be smoke-free at all times.
No-smoking signs must be displayed in all (...)

New sunscreen labelling for a better protection from the sun

The European Commission, DG SANCO, has launched a new sunscreen labelling regime, composed of four pictograms and a UVA logo, to inform consumers of the dangers linked to sun exposure. The presentation took place on 9 July 2007 in Brussels, Belgium.
The information initiative responds to an EU Commission recommendation on sunscreen products adopted in September 2006 and provides consumers with new clearer labelling that will be visible on the market in summer 2007.
Furthermore, the EU (...)

WHO and Stop TB Partnership release a drug-resistant TB plan

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Stop TB Partnership, launched on 22 June 2007, The Global MDR-TB and XDR-TB Response Plan 2007-2008 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The two-year plan presents various measures to prevent, treat and control extensively drug-resistance tuberculosis (XDRT-TB) and multi drug-resistance tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
In addition, the plan has started a series of actions to reach one of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals, which is focused on the access to drugs and (...)

ECDC and EMCDDA cooperate to prevent drug-related infectious diseases

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) signed a cooperation agreement on joint projects to prevent and control drug-related infectious diseases on 29 June 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.
The ECDC and EMCDDA cooperation agreement starts with the purpose of being a formal framework for both agencies in order to tackle infections related with communicable diseases and to contribute to the EU effort in (...)

EMEA kicks off the implementation process of the Paediatric Regulation

EMEA has updated its website with practical information and templates to facilitate compliance with the Paediatric Regulation with respect to Paediatric Investigation Plans.
As part of its implementation of the Paediatric Regulation that came into force in the European Union on 26 January 2007, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has now made the following information available:
Templates to use when applying for a paediatric investigation plan, deferral or waiver.
Information on (...)

Europeans want health to be priority for aid money

A Eurobarometer survey on development aid has found European citizens want their aid money spent on fighting extreme poverty and hunger, and health care.
At the half way point for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Eurobarometer survey shows broad public support for certain priorities in development co-operation.
When asked to give their top three priorities most Europeans (66%) consider reducing extreme poverty and hunger in developing countries as a priority. (...)

European Parliament tells Commission not to prevent access to medicines in developing countries

The European Parliament is insisting that the Council and the Commission do more to ensure access to essential medicines in developing countries. The Parliament has refused to ratify the WTO protocol on intellectual property rights until it has guarantees from the Council and the Commission that they will fully support access to essential medicines.
On 17 July 2007 MEPs stepped up a campaign to make cheap medicines available to the world’s poorest countries by delaying an international (...)