Non-communicable diseases

[EPT] Tobacco - Directive (Revision) - European Commission Proposal Revision of The Tobacco Products Directive (3 May 2013)

European Commission Proposal Revision of The Tobacco Products Directive. The Tobacco Products Directive (2001/37/EC) regulates the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products in the EU 27 Member States. This notably covers the use of health warnings on packs, the prohibition of descriptions such as ’mild’ or ’light’, the maximum tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide yields, and the prohibition of the sale of tobacco for oral use. In February 2012, the (...)

[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 (...)

[EPHAC response] Review of the CAP schemes providing agricultural products to school children

This article is a contribution to DG Agriculture public consultation on the Review of the CAP Schemes Providing Agricultural Products to School Children EPHAC response to CONSULTATION ON THE REVIEW OF THE CAP SCHEMES PROVIDING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS TO SCHOOL CHILDREN EPHAC response is based on our reflection on the Commission’s consultation background documents. Summary: EPHAC welcomes the opportunity to provide the European Commission with input from a public health angle in (...)

EPHA Working Group on Tobacco policy - March 2013

The EPHA Working Group on Tobacco met on 19 March 2013 to discuss EPHA’s position on the Revised Tobacco Products Directive. On March 19 2013, the Secretariat met with its members to discuss EPHA’s position on the Revised Tobacco Products Directive and the future advocacy strategy to adopt in the coming months. Members that could not attend the meeting had the opportunity to dial in, which brought additional participants to what proved to be a very productive meeting. For the (...)

Health improves unequally within and among European countries

Every three years the World Health Organisation (WHO) publishes its report on European Health. This year its report has a special focus on well-being. "The European Health Report 2012: Charting the Way to Well-Being", released by the WHO Regional Office for Europe on March 13, reveals some bitter-sweet data: even if there have been important health improvements in the European Region, the inequities across and within the countries are persistent. According to the WHO Regional Director for (...)

[Press Release] Out of touch - European Parliament backs tobacco subsidies & votes an agriculture policy unfriendly to public health

Brussels, 13 March – The European Public Health & Agriculture Consortium (EPHAC) is disappointed by the European Parliament’s approval of coupling subsidies to tobacco production. Tobacco should not have a place in the 2014-2020 EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). With this move, the European Parliament (EP) wants to inject taxpayer’s money into a toxic crop that causes nearly 700,000 annual deaths (1) in the EU. Today’s vote did very little to fix all that is (...)

[Report] The Unpaid Health Bill - how is coal pollution making us sick?

How is coal pollution making us sick? is the latest Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) report launched on 7 March. The paper provides an overview of the scientific evidence of how air pollution impacts on health and how emissions from coal power plants are implicated in this. It presents the first ever economic assessment of the health costs associated with air pollution from coal power plants in Europe as well as testimonies from leading health advocates, medical experts and policy (...)

Protection from second hand smoke improved, but still too high

A report by the European Commission confirms that the exposure to second hand smoke has decreased considerably since 2009, although the differences among countries are still important. In 2009 the European Commission adopted the Council Recommendation on Smoke-Free Environments, which called on Member States to "adopt and implement laws to fully protect their citizens from exposure to tobacco smoke in enclosed public places, workplaces and public transport" no later than November 2012. (...)

[Save the date] Spotlight on Clean Air & Health

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL) focus on the connection between clean air and Health in an event hosted by Satu Hassi MEP (FI, the Greens) and co-hosted by Claudiu Ciprian Tănăsescu MEP (RO, S&D) in the European Parliament on 19 March 2013. You all are very welcomed to attend this event! You can register using this registration link The event will run from 18:00 in the Altiero Spinelli (ASP) building in room ASP 5E1 (...)

[Lunch debate] The Battle against Tobacco, Cancer and Heart Disease, Feb. 19, European Parliament (Brussels)

The battle against tobacco, cancer and heart disease - Tuesday, 19 February 2013, 12:00-15:00. Jointly organised by the European Parliament MEP Heart Group and MAC (MEP Against Cancer). [Press Statement] In the fight against Tobacco, Cancer & Heart Disease, the new Tobacco Directive is a battle that cannot be lost. Programme - The Battle against tobacco, cancer and heart disease. February 19th – EP (Brussels) Report - The Battle against tobacco, cancer and heart disease The (...)