governance

The Brussels Business Online Game - Step inside the black box

Corporate Europe Observatory and the makers of the documentary film The Brussels Business, the docu-thriller that zooms in on Brussels’ lobbying scene and features the work of ALTER-EU’s steering committee, are about to launch a very interesting, interactive web application. This application, or rather online game, enables citizens to engage in a dialogue with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) about topics that are about to be put to the vote. So far the project is (...)

MEPs unblock funds for Commission Expert Groups

The Parliament blocked funds to expert groups after questions were raised about the unbalanced composition of some groups, with lobbyists and corporate executives participating in a personal capacity and information on membership, agendas, minutes of meetings and copies of documents not always being made public. In 2011 and 2012, the Commission has launched calls to rebalance the composition of expert groups and make information available online. MEPs in the budget control committee (...)

Consultation on public-private partnership in life scieces research and innovation

EPHA Secretariat has drafted a response to the DG Research and Innovation Consultation on plans fora public-private partnership in life sciences research and innovation under Horizon 2020. The secretariat asks members to input into the EPHA response before 28 September. EPHA Secretariat has drafted a response to the DG Research and Innovation Consultation on plans fora public-private partnership in life sciences research and innovation under Horizon 2020. We are now looking for (...)

Transparency Register - EU Civil Society Contact Group Statement

In view of the Consultation on the Transparency Register during the first year of the implementation, the Civil Society Contact Group (CSCG) issued a Statement on the Transparency Register. The members of the CSCG have intensely discussed the Transparency Register, agreeing to commonly express their concerns and highlight recommendations to enhance transparency. Civil Society Contact Group Statement on the Transparency Register The public consultation, launched by the joint European (...)

The Global Healthcare Summit 2012: November 29 -30, London

What are the universal issues uniting healthcare professionals and policy-makers globally? How are people and organisations coming together and creating innovative solutions to major healthcare challenges? How will different healthcare players benefit from this? These and many other questions will be debated at the inaugural Global Healthcare Summit taking place on November 29th and 30th 2012 in London. Global Healthcare Summit that is taking place on November 29th and 30th 2012 in London (...)

Commission consultation on Code for self- and co-regulation and other multistakeholder actions

The European Commission’s DG Information Society and Media has just launched a public consultation on a "Code for Effective Open Voluntarism: Good design principles for self- and co-regulation and other multistakeholder actions." The period of consultation will be open from July 14 until September 30, 2012. Although strictly speaking not health related, this consultation and future Code may impact on self- and co-regulatory mechanisms crucial for the health field. Therefore, EPHA (...)

Horizon 2020 - promoting better health outcomes through coordination, open access and civil society involvement

EPHA released its position on Horizon 2020. This document is a result, jointly with its members, to provide the public health opinion in light of the negotiations on Horizon 2020 programme. EPHA welcomes public health priorities recommended by the European Commission. The public health community encourages EU and national decision makers to support the health theme, efforts to promote coordination and access to data. EPHA Position on Horizon 2020 In a different approach to Innovation, (...)

Single Market Act: Correcting the flaws to boost growth

In June 2012, the European Commission published two new Communications to complete the different levers of the Single Market Act - One on the implementation of the Services Directive; the other on better governance for the Single Market. European Commissioner for the Internal Market Michel Barnier also announced a second Single Market Act. The two Communications outline a course of action to ensure that Single Market rules can work better in practice. The Commission is proposing measures (...)

2012 AGA Master Class reflects on 20 Years of Maastricht Treaty

The 2012 EPHA Annual General Assembly kicked off on June 5 with a Master Class jointly organised by the Maastricht University and EPHA Member the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region. (ASPHER). It was an opportunity for EPHA members to learn about and reflect on the impact of the Maastricht Treaty on public health, as well as to discuss its strengths and weaknesses. The joint ASPHER/University of Maastricht workshop on the development of the EU’s public (...)

First EU one million signature petitions released for signatures

The European Commission registered the first EU ’petitions’ (European Citizen’s initiative) for Europe’s Day - including the EPHA supported petition on the Right to Water. The right to ’petition’ (European Citizen’s Initiative) was introduced in the Lisbon Treaty. A European registry will be available with all information. Among the six petitions that were approved last week, a quarter are health-related already. It will be interesting to monitor (...)