Newsletter January 2003

January 2003 newsletter

The EPHA Newsletter for January 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 Parliament votes against cosmetic tests on animals Parliament Committee opposes advertising for breast implants Parliament discussed health care and care for the elderly Public Hearing on The Quality and Safety of Human (...)

Parliament Votes against Cosmetic Tests on Animals

The European Parliament in Strasbourg approved a new law on 15 January to ban the sale of virtually all animal-tested cosmetic products in the European Union from 2009. Following ten years of delicate negotiations and strong lobbying from the cosmetics industry, animal testing, currently only forbidden in the UK, Belgium, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, will be outlawed in all fifteen member states. The new legislation will also close a loophole which allows the sale of beauty and (...)

Parliament Committee Opposes Advertising for Breast Implants

The European Parliament’s Public Health Committee, in its vote on 22 January, urged EU Member States to ban direct advertising to the public for breast implants and opt for balanced information instead, including potential risks. On 22 January the Parliament’s Public Health Committee unanimously adopted a report by rapporteur Catherine Stihler (PSE, UK) on the Commission Communication on Community and national measures in relation to breast implants. European Parliament, News (...)

Parliament Discussed Health Care and Care for the Elderly

On 15 January, the Parliament adopted a position on the Commission Communication discussing future trends and costs for health care in light of an ageing EU population. http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+PRESS+DN-20030115-1+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&LEVEL=2&NAV=S#SECTION8 http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?L=EN&OBJID=10259&LEVEL=2&MODE=SIP&NAV=X&LSTDOC=N

Public hearing on the quality and safety of human tissues and cells

Eucomed, the medical technology industry association co-sponsored a public hearing on the quality and safety of human tissues and cells hsted by Dr Peter Liese MEP and that took place at the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday 29 January. The European Commission - DG Sanco published on 19 June 2002 its proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on setting standards of quality and safety for the donation, procurement, testing, processing, storage, and (...)

Election of the European Ombudsman

Mr. Nikiforos Diamandouros was duly elected European Ombudsman by the Members of the European Parliament in plenary session in Strasbourg on 15 January 2003, he will take office on 1 April 2003 after Mr Söderman retires and will serve until the end of the current parliamentary term in 2004. Mr Jacob Söderman was elected the first European Ombudsman in June 1995 and re-elected in 1999. Amongst Mr Söderman ’s work, his participation in the European Convention on the Future of Europe has (...)

New European Food Safety Authority Executive Director

Mr Geoffrey Podger has been appointed as Executive Director of the European Food Safety Authority. He will take up the position on 1 February 2003. The Executive Director was appointed by the Management Board, on the basis of a list of candidates proposed by the Commission after an open competition. The Executive Director is responsible for the day to day management of the Authority and is answerable to the Management Board. (...)

EP prolongs ecopoint dispute

The Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament did not accept a deal agreed in the Council on 31 December 2002 on transit of heavy goods vehicles through Austria, the so-called "ecopoints" system. A large majority of members across the political landscape of the EP approved four compromise amendments, which are in conflict with the Council decision in December. The committee wants environmentally-friendly lorries to be promoted and older lorries (...)

EP Committee Votes for a Powerful Polluter Pays Principle

In January 2002, the Commission issued a proposal for a directive on environmental liability. The proposal aims to ensure that future environmental damage is paid by the polluter, and preferably prevented. The proposed directive covers three types of environmental damage: biodiversity, water and damage which causes serious potential or actual harm to public health via soil or sub-soil contamination. On 22 January 2003, the EP Environment Committee adopted its opinion on the draft directive (...)

Council Agreement on Hygiene Rules for Food of Animal Origin

Following the Commission’s proposal, the Council has finally adopted a political agreement to set hygiene rules for food of animal origin. The legislation focuses on setting objectives while leaving business flexibility in deciding which safety measures to take. Mr Byrne welcomed the Council’s political agreement as a key aspect of achieving food safety while respecting the diversity of European food. Following the principle of flexibility, exemptions can be made for food (...)