health promotion

Spirometry day - EU Commissioner for health supports lung testing

June 10, 2013 -The European COPD Coalition organised a free spirometry test (lung capacity assessment) on 10 June at the European Commission, Berlaymont Building. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease also known as COPD is a lung and airways disease that is treatable but not curable. It is a deadly Chronic Disease that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Up to 10% of Europeans are affected by COPD and 200 000 to 300 000 people in Europe die of it every year. In order to highlight (...)

[EPHA’s 20th anniversary series] There is no time like the present

While generally speaking, political change in Brussels tends to be tremendously slow, twenty years are a sufficiently long period of time to have witnessed some crucial changes in the continent’s public health sphere. At the time of EPHA’s inception in 1993, Article 129 of the Maastricht Treaty had just equipped the European Commission with a limited but important legal coordinating role in the field of public health with a focus on prevention, health promotion and protection. (...)

[Joint media reaction] Minimum Alcohol Price: Scottish High Court on the side of public health

Brussels, 3 May – Today, the Scottish Government has won a case on Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) for alcohol (1) in the Scottish High Court - the first legally-binding minimum price on alcohol within the EU. Now the alcohol industry will have 21 days to decide whether it has grounds for appeal. MUP sets a floor price below which alcohol cannot be legally sold and unlike taxation, MUP prices alcoholic beverages based on their strength. Alcohol misuse hits the poor badly, most of whom (...)

[Save the date] EPHA 4th Annual Conference 4-5 September 2013, Brussels

On 4 and 5 September 2013 the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) will celebrate 20 years of helping shape Europe’s public health. EPHA is using this milestone as an opportunity to look at how we can foster an EU that is coherent in its decisions, in terms of fostering the health and well-being of people living in Europe. Brave New World: Inclusive Growth and Well-Being or Vested Interests and Lost Generations? (Venue: The International Association Centre (IAC) 40, Rue (...)

[European Observatory] Venice Summer School 2013

The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the Veneto Region of Italy are organising a Summer School with the title “Time for Change: Innovative Ways of Improving Population Health†The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and the Veneto Region of Italy are organising a Summer School with the title “Time for Change: Innovative Ways of Improving Population Health” European countries increasingly recognize the importance of (...)

[Joint Press Release] In the fight against alcohol misuse, pricing policies are the way to go

Brussels, 24 April – Today Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from various political groups, along with representatives of governments, leading academics and public health organisations (1), have renewed their support for strong measures to bring down the current high rate of alcohol misuse in Europe. The seminar also served to launch in Europe the ’Alcohol and Cancer’ report (2). “If policy-makers are serious about tackling the danger that heavy (...)

[Evening reception, 24 April] Alcohol & cancer: a report from the Royal College of Physicians & the Alcohol Health Alliance UK

You are cordially invited to join Alex Neil, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Health and Well-being & representatives from governments, non-governmental organisations, leading academics and Members of the European Parliament for an EVENING RECEPTION and European launch of Alcohol and cancer: a report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Alcohol Health Alliance UK (AHA). European Parliament (Brussels) 24 April 2013, from 19:00 Co-hosted by Rebecca Taylor MEP (UK, ALDE) (...)

EPHA briefing: Health in the Europe 2020 Strategy

The Europe 2020 Strategy was launched in 2010 to promote ‘smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’. It sets targets for employment, innovation, climate and energy policy, education and social inclusion, most of which are in some way related to health policies and priorities. For example, public health has clear implications for work hours, labour force participation, early retirement, and health and safety at work, and these factors impact on health. In the Annual Growth Survey (...)

[Maastricht University, Conference] European Public Health - 20 years of the Maastricht Treaty

The Maastricht University’s Department of International Health is organising, in collaboration with renowned partners, a conference entitled European Public Health: 20 years of the Maastricht Treaty – Turning past experiences into visions on 22 & 23 May 2013 in Maastricht. The Maastricht Treaty of 1992 introduced a public health mandate for the European Union. The last 20 years have witnessed exciting developments to flesh out the mandate. The Treaty has been the basis for (...)

Ireland’s Presidency Health Priorities

Ireland, in collaboration with Lithuania and Greece (the countries that follow Ireland in taking up the Presidency of the Council of EU), has made a commitment to using its resources to prioritise solid progress on a number of key legislative dossiers in health. Dublin calls on EU Member States to work together, sharing ideas, information and best practices. The Irish Presidency Programme, whose cornerstone is to advance the legislative agenda, contains a series of health priorities as (...)