Civil Society

How to reinforce the social dimension of the EU under the Lithuanian Presidency?

Lithuania will hold the rotating EU presidency of the Council in the second half of 2013 (July-December 2013). The Social Platform, (an alliance of representative European federations and networks of non-governmental organisations active in the social sector) organised a conference focusing on the social dimension of the EU. EPHA – as member of the Social Platform – transferred important messages (the possibilities of civil society, the relevance of poverty for public health, (...)

[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 (...)

European Year for Citizens - moving to a Union for Citizens

On 23 April 2013 the European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, organised a high level event to help focus on European citizens and how they can contribute to shaping the European Union. The Ombudsman was joined by, among others, Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the European Commission, and Maroš Šefčovič Vice-President of the European Commission. EPHA congratulates the European Ombudsman for addressing the (...)

[EPHA Call to Action] Health in the reform of economic governance

EPHA has launched a call for action for health, civil society and the reform of EU economic governance. Since the financial crisis began in 2007, the EU has introduced numerous new mechanisms, such as tighter coordination of economic and fiscal policies, to alleviate the current symptoms and prevent their recurrence. Several of those measures have impacts on health systems and consequently on health. The EU nowadays has stronger influence and control over national health systems than it (...)

[Médecins du monde] Access to healthcare in Europe in times of crisis and rising xenophobia

On the 9th of April 2013, Doctors of the World International Network (Médecins du monde) presented its latest report, with some of the results of comparative data collected in 2012 in 14 cities across seven European countries. This report covers a sample of 8,412 patients, 19,302 consultations (including 10,968 medical consultations) and 11,921 diagnoses reported by their volunteer health professionals. In order to capture the context in which this data collection took place, a concise (...)

Policy responses to the economic crisis – a shift towards investing in health?

[EPT] Child poverty and well being - Council Conclusions (proposal) Toward the European Commission’s Recommendations on Child Poverty and Well-Being (29 March 2013)

European Commission’s Recommendations on Child Poverty and Well-Being In 2010, the European Commission announced its intention to adopt a Recommendation on Child Poverty by 2012. This June 2012, the Social Protection Committee (SPC, part of the DG Employment) produced an advisory report “Tackling and Preventing Child Poverty, Promoting Child Well-being”. The paper will serve as a benchmark to develop the upcoming Child Poverty Recommendations by the EC later in February (...)

[EPT] Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) – EP report: EU-wide plan to tackle the proliferation of AMR (22 March 2013)

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) – EP report - EU-wide plan to tackle the proliferation of AMR Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been described as one of the biggest threats to public health - a worrisome development since resistance to drugs designed to treat severe diseases is becoming more widespread. In 2001 the WHO published its Global Strategy for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance, describing what AMR is and what strategies should be (...)

[EPT] Fund for European Aid - European Fund - Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (updated on 18 March)

Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived The European Commission (DG Employment) has proposed to set up a European Aid Fund to help the most deprived persons in the EU. A successor to the Food Aid to the Most Deprived, this new Fund would support member state schemes not only by providing food aid to the most deprived people, but also clothing and other essential goods to homeless people and materially-deprived children (such as shoes, soap and shampoo). The proposal is yet to be (...)

[EPT] The 7th Environmental Programme (EAP)

THE 7TH ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMME (EAP)) Environment Action Programmes have guided the development of EU environment policy since the early seventies. The attainment of other objectives depends on future implementation efforts (chemicals, pesticides, water), and still a number of other challenges remain unaddressed. The 7th Environment Action Programme should be a strategic document providing an overarching framework aiming at improving Europe’s competitiveness and enhancing its (...)