Update 65

Update 65, "The Eu Makes Plans for Health" - now available online

Change is in the air. In Luxembourg, the work plan for Europe’s new Public Health Programme (2003-2008) is being finalised ready for implementation. In Brussels, Health Commissioner David Byrne believes there is a need for a change in the European Union Treaty - and he is saying so. EPHA welcomes his position. The current legal basis in the Treaty for health protection is very weak. In the absence of political initiatives, it is the European Court of Justice that is making decisions on (...)

EPHA’s vision for the year 2008

By imagining the thoughts of a creature from outer space, EPHA’s President Andrew Hayes has come up with what could be achieved over the next six years by the new Public Health Programme.
There is very little legislation that does not impact, directly or indirectly, on health. The Man from Mars, preparing to land in Europe in 2008 to review the success of the Public Health Programme, is unlikely to be impressed by a spot of EU added value to health promotion initiatives that are, in any (...)

EPHA members’ priorities for action

Employ what works to avoid an AIDS disaster
"Medium term forecasts for HIV in Eastern Europe are catastrophic: the USA National Intelligence Council predicts that 6-11% of Russian adults will be HIV positive by the end of the decade. UNAIDS says about 1% of the adult population is already HIV positive in Ukraine, Russia and Estonia. Some applicant countries are facing exponential growth in infection rates.
This recent explosion of the HIV epidemic is related mostly to intravenous drug use (...)

Landmark Thinking on European Public Health

Looking beyond health protection and health promotion
Padraig Flynn, the first European Commissioner with responsibility for health, speaking in 1995:
"EU’s health role is not confined to health protection and positive health promotion, as is commonly assumed. Our work is much broader. To name but a few matters, it includes environmental issues, food safety, development and emergency aid, research and development, the recognition of medical qualifications and health and safety at work." (...)

The EU’s activities in health at a glance

1951 - Health and safety at work
Activities in the field of safety and health at work begin at the same time as the European Coal and Steel Community is established.
1987 - Early programmes
"Europe Against Cancer" begins. It represents the first European action programme aimed specifically at improving public health throughout the Union. An initiative to deal with "the scourge of drugs misuse" starts later the same year followed by the "Europe Against AIDS" programme four years later.
1992 (...)

Where we are and where we are going

Director of Public Health at DG Health and Consumer Affairs (Sanco), Fernand Sauer describes the new programme for Community action in the field of public health (2003-2008). In May 2000 the Commission put forward its proposal (1) for a new public health programme to replace the existing set of eight programmes and to unite these in a single, integrated horizontal scheme.
The proposal went through a lengthy co-decision procedure that ended successfully on 8 May 2002 with the agreement (...)

A stronger role for the EU in public health policy?

Interview with Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health and Research Director, European Observatory on Health Care Systems, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London.
EPHA would like to see a stronger role for the European Union in public health and a clearly defined EU public health policy. Do you agree with this position?
McKee: There are many arguments for strengthening the role of the EU in public health, simply because so many threats to health act at a (...)

Treaty changes for a "Europe of health"

The following text is from a speech by David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection entitled "EU health policy on a world stage". It defines the questions that need to be addressed in relation to a change in the Treaty Article on public health. The speech was given on 29 October 2002 at the European Policy Centre in Brussels.
David Byrne:
Early next year, I intend to publish a Communication on how Community health policy should develop to meet the challenges we (...)

Interview with Danish Minister of Interior and Health Lars Lokke Rasmussen

The Public Health Programme was agreed by the EU Health Council on 26 June 2002. What can it achieve in terms of improvements in the health status of all EU citizens?
Lars Løkke Rasmussen: I see the new public health programme as an important supplement to the national activities to improve public health. In September, the Danish government launched a new programme for public health and health promotion for the period 2002-2010. It focuses action on the eight most common diseases including (...)

Making CAP healthier

Developments in reforming the Community’s farming policy are heating up across Europe. EPHA is ensuring that health is on the agenda says Policy Director, Genon Jensen.
Everyone knows that CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) isn’t working, but most have difficulty in agreeing on what the policy instruments for change should be.
The Commission’s July Mid-Term Proposal for reform set out its vision, and is now being discussed in the European Parliament and EU Council. Civil society is holding (...)