environment

EU ministers call for better ways to measure progress and a green economy to promote health

World leaders, activists, and opinion-makers gathered in Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20 (20-22 June 2012). Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for the Environment was part of the delegation. Below you will find what the EU Council of Ministers called the EU delegation to develop and how health fit into the Rio+20 negotiation process and actions to include NCDs in the post-2105 development framework. Commissioner Potnick called for new (...)

European Commission new Innovation Partnership on Water still treats water as a commodity

Despite its initial ambition to seek solutions in market-driven innovation and research in accessing to safe, clean and affordable water and sanitation, the European Commission proposal (released last 14 May 2012) on the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Water only strengthens a vision of water as a commodity and not as a public good. EPHA evaluates the proposal Against the background of its support to the European Citizens’ Initiative Right to Water. Read the Commission (...)

Tarabella report calls for stronger incorporation of social considerations in public procurement

At their meeting on 30 May, the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) will consider the draft report of Marc Tarabella (Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats, Belgium) on public procurement and procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors. The IMCO Committee is currently considering the European Commission’s proposals to modernise the Union’s public (...)

European Charter for Health Equity - open for signatures through 2012

After being officially launched on 9 December 2010, the European Charter for Health Equity will be open for signatures for a year (end 2011). We invite all relevant stakeholders, organisations and institutions to sign the Charter. We count on your active involvement! We have just over 160 signatories on our list of supporters! The European Charter for Health Equity has been opened for signatures until the end of 2012. To sign the European Charter for Health Equity please follow the (...)

Conflicts of interests: MEPs refuses to discharge the 2010 accounts of three EU Agencies

The European Parliament can exercice its democratic control through discharging the budget of the EU institutions. On the 10 May 2012, MEPS postponed signing off the 2010 accounts of three EU Agencies that matter to health: the European Medicines Agency, the European Food and Safety Agency as well as the European Environmental Agency. For the three agencies, conflicts of interest are in the balance. The European Parliament signed off the accounts of all the EU agencies except the European (...)

European Commission employment package confirms health as growth area

The European Commission has released a comprehensive employment package which includes a policy communication, "Towards a job-rich recovery," and nine Commission Staff Working Documents. The package contains concrete measures to combat mass unemployment and mitigate the effects of the crisis. The green economy, health services and ICT are recognised as high potential employment areas. The policy communication underlines the need for a stronger employment and a social dimension to EU (...)

Reports’ findings - an inefficient use of water resources in Europe

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), millions of people in Europe lack access to drinking water. In addition, and according to the European Environmental Agency (EEA), more than 50 percent of the rural population in 10 European countries have no access to clean water. Such a patchy access to running, safe water has a devastating impact on people’s health status, creating an unfair level of avoidable health inequalities. Clean water is a crucial natural resource, (...)

EPHA’s contributions to chronic diseases consultations

With two major launches, April was an remarkable month in terms of chronic diseases developments - the Commission’s Consultation on the EU Reflection Process on Chronic Dises; and the World Health Organization (WHO) Consultation on a comprehensive global monitoring framework. EPHA responded to both consultations. On 14 March 2012, the European Commission launched a Consultation on the EU Reflection Process on Chronic Disease aimed to gather initial inputs from stakeholders. (...)

European Court of Auditors condemns the legislative proposals for the CAP reform unsatisfactory

The European Court of Auditors, in its latest opinion on the Commissions’ four legislative proposals for the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), although recognising the efforts made to better this key policy, condemns the recommendations as unsatisfactory and ineffective. European Court of Auditors’ full opinion on the CAP legislative proposals The European Court of Auditors (ECA) states that the legislative framework of this policy still remains too complex and (...)

EPHA response to the European Commission public consultation on sustainability agenda

EPHA responded to the European Commission public consultation on “Delivering a more Sustainable Production and Consumption” highlighting that greater synergies between sectors are necessary, especially to address both sustainable development and social inequalities. EPHA response to public consultation from DG Environment on Delivering More Sustainable Production and Consumption. The main rationale behind participating in the consultation was the fact that sustainability is (...)