Newsletter February 2003

February 2003 newsletter

The EPHA Newsletter for February 2003 is now available online. You can download the newsletter below, as a PDF or as a RTF file, or consult the main articles online by clicking here.
Here is the table of the main contents:
EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS NEWS
THE PARLIAMENT
MEPs Seek Ban on Additive E 425 Konjac
Prevention and Reduction of Risks Associated with Drug Dependence
Community and National Measures in Relation to Breast Implants
THE COUNCIL
Greek Presidency Conclusions on Social (...)

EIB Environment Report Published

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has published its first ever Environment Report.
The Report provides an account of recent environmental developments at the EIB, including new policy initiatives, changes in its environmental organisation and environmental lending in 2001-2002, defined by its status as a European institution.

Creating a "Europe of Health"

In January’s electronic issue of Consumer Voice, the newsletter published by DG SANCO, Commissioner Byrne’s vision for a ’Europe of health’ focuses on:
the creation of the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control,
tobacco control measures,
patient mobility, and
bioterrorism
(as well as getting the tenders for the new public health programme launched).

March 2003, Romano Prodi Launches Internet Debate on «Penelope»

President of the European Commission Romano Prodi launched an Internet debate with the public on a potential Constitution for Europe based on the working document "Penelope".
Prodi and the experts who are drawing up the document personally respond to comments and proposals from the public on issues such as democracy, justice, and monetary policy.
The debate as the Convention discussed the draft articles of the future Constitutional Treaty. The online discussion is part of the "Debate on (...)

ECJ Rules that Pensioners are Entitled to Treatment Abroad

The European Court of Justice ruled on February 25 that pensioners are entitled to reimbursement of medical expenses incurred abroad even if they result from a chronic or pre-existing medical condition.
This was the judgement of the Court in Case C-326/00 (Idryma Koinonikon Asfaliseon (IKA) -v- Vasileios Ioannidis), in which the Court decided that: "A Member State may not subject payment of the medical expenses of a pensioner who has visited another Member State either to authorisation or (...)

Centrally Authorised Medicines Should Generally Bear One Single Trade Name

In its judgement of 10 December 2002, the Court of First Instance annulled the decision of 1st March 2000, that had refused to vary the name and package layout of a centrally authorised medicine.
The reason for the annulment is that the decision was not sufficiently motivated. On the merits, the Court states that the letter and spirit of Regulation 2309/93 suggests that a Community marketing authorisation will contain as a general rule only one name.
That name can be varied by adding (...)

World Health Day 2003

"Healthy Environments for Children" is the title of this year’s World Health Day, which will take place on April 7.
EPHA will also be launching its booklet, "A Healthier Future for Europe’s Children" which includes comments from WHO Europe’s Regional Director, Marc Danzon, and Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom.
EPHA aims to widely disseminate this booklet on April 7 to national and European press and other contacts, and generate as much media interest as possible. (...)

EPHA Participates in a Workshop on the Draft Bulgarian Public Health Law

The Technical Assistance Information Exchange Office (TAIEX) of DG Enlargement in co-operation with the Bulgarian Ministry of Health, DG Sanco and WHO Europe organised on 24-26 February 2003 to support and inform the Bulgarian Government in refining its ambitiously comprehensive new law on Public Health.
Bulgaria is an accession country currently aiming to achieve membership in 2007.
Stephen Gordon, General Secretary of the European Council for Classical Homeopathy represented EPHA at the (...)

February 2003, Conclusions of Social Europe Working Group

Mr Katiforis presented to the Plenary session of 6/7 February 2003 the Report of the WG on Social Europe with the recommendations of including ’public health’ into Article 3 and strengthening Article 152.
During the debate, Mr Katiforis emphasised the strong support for strengthening the EU competence on Public Health, stating that the European Commission had convincingly pointed out the need for stronger legal basis for EU action specifically regarding communicable diseases, bioterrorism (...)

Briefing Note: Convention Plenary, 6-7 February

The agenda was as follows:
Thursday 6th February, 15:00h
1. Presentation by the Praesidium of an initial draft set of articles of Part I of the Constitutional Treaty
2. Presentation by Mr Katiforis of the report by Working Group XI on Social Europe, debate (CONV 516/03)
Friday 7th February, 9:30h
3. The regional and local dimension (CONV 518/03)
4. Question time
5. Other business
1. Convention President Mr Valerie Giscard d’Estaign presented the new draft articles 1 to 16 of the (...)

February 2003, EPHA members keep up the pressure on the convention

The Convention Praesidium published a new draft of the first 16 articles of the Constitutional Treaty at the early February Plenary session.
Convention members were invited to comment or amend these articles by the deadline of Monday 17 February. The draft document did not take into account the conclusions of the WG on Social Europe and particularly their references on health.
EPHA sent an alert to members calling for advocacy towards the Convention members to support the inclusion of the (...)

MEPs Seek Ban on Additive E 425 Konjac

The EP adopted a report from Marit Paulsen (ELDR, Sweden) proposing a ban on the use of the food additive E425 konjac in jelly products, consumed primarily by children. This first-reading Opinion (adopted under the co-decision procedure) is in line with the European Commission’s draft amendment to Directive 95/2 , aiming to introduce a permanent ban on this food additive.
This initiative follows reports that consumption of minicups containing the additive pose a risk of death by (...)

Report on Marketing of Food to Children

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has indicated to the International Association of Consumer Food Organization (IACFO) that it welcomes a report on the marketing of food to children, as part of WHO’s consultation process on food strategy.
This report will include data on the marketing of food to children from several countries across the world. The Food Commission, an independent non-governmental organisation campaigning for safer, healthier food for all, is coordinating the report; (...)

Trust Fund to Help Poor Countries Participate in Codex Alimentarius

A $40 million Trust Fund to help the world’s least developed countries participate in Codex Alimentarius was launched in Geneva on the 13 February by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Codex Alimentarius sets food standards that protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in food trade, so it is equally important to developed and developing countries. However, many developing countries, particularly the least developed ones, (...)

Prevention and Reduction of Risks Associated with Drug Dependence

Effective health and drug policy measures aimed at hard drug users would improve the health and well-being not only of drug addicts but also the general public, says the European Parliament Environment Committee in welcoming Commission proposals for preventing drug-related infections .
In proposing a range of non-binding amendments by reporter Minerva MALLIORI (PES, GR) and other MEPs, the committee stressed the key role of local communities, arguing that local authority healthcare staff, (...)

Community and National Measures in Relation to Breast Implants

The European Parliament’s Environment Committee is urging the EU Member States to ban direct advertising to the public for breast implants or breast implant operations, as France has done.
Since breast implants always entail risks, MEPs demand that objective, non-commercial information be provided through national public health services instead. These demands are made in a non-legislative draft resolution by Catherine STIHLER (PES, UK) on a Commission paper on breast implants .
While (...)

Greek Presidency Conclusions on Social Protection

In an informal meeting of Employment and Social Policy Ministers, the Council reaffirmed its goal of strengthening the social dimension of Europe.

Framework Convention on Tobacco Control concluded, 1 March 2003

After four years, the negotiations by the 192 Member States of the WHO have resulted in an agreement for a groundbreaking treaty on tobacco control. The Treaty will be submitted to the World Health Assembly in May 2003 for approval.
This first international health treaty covers a range of issues including tobacco advertising, health warnings, tax issues, illicit trade (smuggling) and smoking cessation programmes. However important questions remain about the EU position on the Convention (...)

European Breastfeeding Promotion Project

The first meeting of a project on promoting breastfeeding in Europe, funded by DG SANCO was held last 21-23 February in Trieste, Italy. The NGO participant was IBFAN..
The project will produce a "Blueprint for action", i.e. a document that countries can use to plan and implement activities.
The USA have already produced an equivalent document on breastfeeding.

Alert on Genetic Tests Advertised Via the Internet

The European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies has issued an statement on advertising genetic tests via the Internet.
There is a proliferation of internet-based offers of genetic tests aimed especially at establishing fatherhood as well as tests for predisposition to several diseases - heart diseases, diabetes, etc.
Advertising is getting increasingly aggressive and pervasive in Europe; in some countries this can even be found in popular chain stores, service stations, (...)

Mental Health Europe Forum, Paris, October 2003

Advocacy France and a number of French and European mental health organisations, in partnership with Mental Health Europe, are organising a Forum on Mental Health in the framework of the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003.
It will take place at the City Hall in Paris, France, on 21-22 October 2003. The Forum aims:
to develop reflection and discussion on discrimination faced by people with mental health problems;
to denounce the different forms of discrimination;
to value (...)

Sweden to Clash With EU on Alcohol Policies

The traditional Swedish alcohol policy is under pressure from EU harmonisation, as the Market Court in Stockholm has ruled that the country can no longer keep up its ban on advertisements for alcohol.
At the same time, Sweden finds the new EU rules on drugs too slack, as the country has until now maintained a policy of zero toleration.
EU Observer article.

Pressing Worldwide Challenge of Long-term Care for Ill and Disabled

Long-term care for people with chronic illnesses and disabilities presents an urgent challenge around the world, as existing systems of care have come under great strain and are unable to fully meet growing demands.
The critical ethical issues related to long-term care, which all people are at risk to face during their lifetimes, are the focus of a new World Health Organization (...)

Competent Authorities Meeting for Medical Devices

The medical devices Competent Authorities met in Athens, under the Greek Presidency, on the 16 and 17 January 2003.
21 countries were represented: European Union, future member States and EFTA countries. Issues discussed include:
Enlargement of the EU,
Commission Communication on medical devices,
Safety concerns presented by medical software,
Transparency and
Patient (...)