Breast feeding on the EU agenda

Call for action on the Uk health and education bill

With regard to a United Kingdom health and Education bill which would allow business sponsorhip of education materials, they recently intensified action and sent several letters to several Minsiters and Secretaries of State ( Health - Patricia Hewitt, Public Health Minister, Caroline Flint and Education and skills, Ruth Kelly). They warn about the risk of baby feeding industry sponsorship in the British health care system. They call for the adoption by schools and the healthcare system of guidelines incorporating the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk substitutes and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions. It would thus prevent baby feeding industry from providing education materials.

Response to the European Commission working document on the Directive on Infant Formulae

The European Commission is currently revising the Commission Directive on infant formulae. The Baby Feeding Law Group reaction is of disappointment and calls for a stronger stance from the European Commission.

The Baby Feeding Law Group

The Baby Feeding Law Group is an ad-hoc group of 15 health professionals and non-governmental organisations which are working to bring EU legislation in line with UN resolutions on breastfeeding.

Member organisations:

 Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
 Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services
 Association of Radical Midwives
 Baby Milk Action
 Breastfeeding Network - Food Commission
 Community Practitioners and Health Visitors’ Association
 Lactation Consultants of Great Britain
 La Leche League (GB)
 Midwives Information and Resource Service
 National Childbirth Trust
 Royal College of Midwives
 Royal College of Nursing
 Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
 Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative