Secretariat News

December 2009 and January 2010 saw a number of important developments in alcohol policy, the better regulation agenda and the discussions on the future of Europe. Please read on for more information on the activities of the Secretariat during this time, plus the changes within our team with new additions, some departures and a new organisational chart for the forthcoming period.
1. Activity and communication
European institutions
Spanish Presidency of the Council – January to June (...)

November was another extremely busy month for the Secretariat ; we organised three workshops and participated in another three and a plenary session at the Annual Public Health conference in Ĺódź, Poland, participated in a number of workshops and activities including on alcohol, global health and others, maintained our campaign for a Health Intergroup as well as the final successful push for the move of pharmaceutical and medical devices to the health Commissioner ! Please read on (...)

October was an extremely busy month for the Secretariat ; we held our General Assembly and elections, participated in a number of workshops and activities including on alcohol, global health and others, maintained our campaign for a Health Intergroup and hired two new members for the EPHA team ! Please read on for more details of our work in October.
Activities and events
General Assembly This was held in Brussels on 14-15 October. Highlights included Presentation of the EPHA Services to (...)

EPHA working meetings
On 1 September and 28 September EPHA had working meetings with the Jesuit Refugee Service with the aim of supporting their organisation of a European Conference on Destitution in early 2011. EPHA has agreed to be on the steering committee.
On 11 September EPHA organised a preparatory meeting with a number of NGOs in advance of the plenary meeting of the Platform for Diet, Physical Activity and Health. The background documents will be made available online shortly. (...)

EPHA working meetings
On 8 July EPHA organised a Working Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. The minutes will be made available online shortly.
On 15 July, EPHA held a Policy Coordination Meeting for its member organisations. The minutes of the meeting are available here The meeting was complemented by an exchange of views between EPHA’s members and the Health Attaché of the Swedish Permanent Representation to the EU, organised by EPHA’s secretariat. An overview of the (...)

EPHA working meetings
On 9 June, EPHA welcomed François Decaillet Senior adviser from the WHO-Regional Office for Europe who gave a interactive and stimulating session on Europe’s place in the world to the participants of EPHA Training Programme for Young Health Professionals. For more information on the Programme, please check this.
EPHA also attended the working group of the Civil Society Contact Group in order to organise the upcoming exhibition ’Meet civil society’ at the European (...)

EPHA is offering to carry out the recruitment process for interns on behalf of its members for October 2009.
If you are an EPHA member and are seeking an intern to start at your organisation in October 2009, EPHA is offering to carry out the recruitment process for you. EPHA will not be charging members for the recruitment services however participating organisations should be prepared to remunerate their interns according to Belgian law.
Your successful intern would also be eligible (...)

EPHA working meetings
On 5 May, EPHA organised one of the Follow-up Sessions of its Training Programme for Young Health Professionals. EPHA had the pleasure to welcome Elisabeth Kidd from DG SANCO who gave an insight on the Commission’s work, functioning, and challenges and engaged in a vivid dialogue with the participants on the EC work in general. The meeting also included an interactive training session on EU advocacy, provided by Tamsin Rose.
A member of the EPHA Secretariat met with (...)

EPHA working meetings
On 1 and 2 April, EPHA was represented at the WHO Meeting on "Health in times of global economic crisis : implications for the WHO European Region". For more information, please click here.
On 20 April, EPHA attended the Working Group of the Civil Society Contact Group to prepare an exhibition at the European Parliament in October 2009 in order for newly elected MEPs to meet civil society organisations and find out more about their work. For further information, please (...)

We are delighted to announce two new additions to the EPHA team from March this year. Luiza Bara has joined EPHA as Head of Policy, having previously headed up the policy team at the European Youth Forum. Tina Blain has also joined EPHA as Membership and Network Officer, on secondment from the North West of England Health Office in Brussels. We would like to welcome both Luiza and Tina.
This month we are also saying goodbye to Caroline Bollars, who is leaving EPHA for a twelve month (...)