children and adolescents

90 million euro for the EU School Fruit Scheme for 2012/2013

The allocation of EU aid under the School Fruit Scheme for the 2012/2013 school year has been backed by Member States in the Management Committee on 6 March and the Commission’s formal adoption is set to follow in the upcoming weeks. The EU funding of € 90 million will be allocated to the 24 participating Member States as proposed by the Commission, based on the population of 6-10 year old children and the needs expressed by each participating Member State. Sweden, Finland and (...)

’Our food systems are making people sick’ states UN rapporteur

In a strong and tough report - presented to the UN Human Rights Council at its 19th session in March 2012, the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food - Olivier de Schutter - explores the implications of the adequacy element of the right to food for agricultural policies and for the reshaping of the food systems. The report The right to an adequate diet: the agriculture-food-health nexus is to deal with the triple challenge we face today - that of the role of agrifood systems (from (...)

Extraordinary meeting of the EU platform for Roma Inclusion on the national Roma integration strategies

On 22 March 2012, the Extraordinary European Platform on Roma inclusion took place in order to give all stakeholders involved an opportunity to express their views on the national efforts and to pave the way for the successful implementation of national Roma integration strategies. Among four priority areas for Roma inclusion, health (especially disease prevention and health promotion) and related determinants, such as living conditions still lag behind. The representatives of the EU (...)

EPHA Statement on the World Water Day 2012: “Access to water and sanitation is a human right, not an ordinary commodity”

22 March 2012 - On the occasion of the World Water Day, EPHA encourages policy makers and citizens alike to join and sign the first European petition on Water and Sanitation asking for the European Union to help achieve universal access to water and sanitation within and outside the European Union. The signatures’ collection should be officially launched at the end of April 2012. The objectives of the campaign, led by EPSU and joined by EPHA is to guarantee water and sanitation (...)

What public health priorities for the Energy Efficiency Directive Review

The European Union currently reviews the Energy Efficiency Directive to step up Member States efforts to use energy more efficiently at all stages of the energy chain – from the transformation of energy and its distribution to its final consumption. EPHA makes proposals on the public health gains or negative impact of such a Directive. On 22 June 2011, a new set of measures for increased Energy Efficiency was proposed by the European Commission to fill the gap and put back the EU on (...)

2011: increasing poverty in Europe concludes first annual review of Employment and Social Developments in Europe

The first annual review of Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) published by the European Commission, concluded that a mix of employment and social policies is necessary to ensure a long-term job-rich recovery in the current climate of fiscal consolidation and bleak economic outlook. EPHA was invited to join a launch of the review at a DG Employment-organised expert conference on the issue. Furthermore, the review examined patterns of poverty and social exclusion in Europe (...)

European Parliament condemns austerity policies and call for more social inclusion

During its plenary session on 15 February, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the current austerity driven policies followed by the EU and Member States. The Parliament urged the Spring European Council (1-2 March 2012) to take up key recommendations to ensure coherence and increased ambition to achieve the Europe 2020 objectives in its decisions on the guidance for the European economy that the Council will take. The resolution is an answer to the employment and (...)

EPHA Response to the Commission Consultation on Drugs

EPHA responded to the Consultation on the European Commission Communication "Towards a Stronger European Response to Drugs”. Drug use constitutes a serious threat. It represents an obstacle to human development and achievement, a public health threat but also a threat to economies and political stability. In its response to the Consultation, EPHA highlights the following issues of importance when tackling drug use: acting on the drug supply is crucial, so is acting on the drug (...)

Thumbs up for the School Milk and School Fruit Schemes of the EU

On 23 January 2012, Agriculture Ministers of EU Member States adopted conclusions on special report from the European Court of Auditors on the School Milk and School Fruit Schemes. Both reports conclude that the Schemes are very positive. Ministers also call on both schemes to provide high nutritional quality and to improve diets. The ECA report entitled "Are the School Milk and School Fruit Schemes effective?" The report conclusions pointed out the EU School Fruit Scheme (EU SFS) as (...)

New Council of Europe Strategy on the Rights of the Child

The Council of Europe adopted a new 2012-2015 Strategy for the Rights of the Child. The strategy aims to provide guidance and support to actors in the field on how to make the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child a day-to-day reality for children in the 47 Member States of the Council of Europe. The strategy focuses on four main objectives: promoting child-friendly services and systems (in the areas of justice, health and social services); eliminating all forms of violence (...)