Public Health Policy in the EU

Latest news about Public Health Policy in the European Union.

Under the Treaty, EU action must aim to improve public health, prevent human illness and diseases, and identify sources of danger to human health.

This has led to integrated health-related work at EU level, aiming to bring health-related policy areas together. Health and consumer protection policies are particularly closely linked. The safety of products and services - including food safety and rapid food alerts - are key priorities here.

FACT SHEETS

General Policy Information

• EU Health Strategy Overview
• EU Health Programme 2008-2013
• High Level Group on Health Care

Health Research

• Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7)
• SMEs in Health Research

Useful Links

Call for Tenders

EU Health Contacts

LATEST NEWS

Key facts about bird flu (Avian Influenza) — 16 March 2010, 18:28 CET

The European Commission adopted today a decision confirming the risk areas set up by the Romanian authorities in relation to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a backyard poultry farm located in the commune of Letea, in Tulcea county, at the Danube's delta close to the Ukrainian border.

Bird flu outbreak in Romania, EU's first in a year — 16 March 2010, 23:53 CET

The first outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu in Europe for a year has been identified in a backyard poultry farm in Romania, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

Scientists and SMEs join forces to fight influenza — 11 March 2010, 00:30 CET

Researchers and industrialists from Europe and abroad have clinched EUR 18 million in EU support for their collaboration on projects targeting influenza. In total, 52 research institutes and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from 18 European countries, as well as China, Israel and the US will work together on 4 projects to determine how influenza virus genes migrate, and how they pose a serious threat to the well-being of humans and animals. In less than a decade, the Commission has earmarked more than EUR 100 million for research on influenza.

Ministers approve directive to improve safety of EU healthcare workers — 08 March 2010, 23:43 CET

EU Employment and Social Affairs Ministers have adopted a Directive to prevent injuries and infections to healthcare workers from sharp objects such as needle sticks - one of the most serious health and safety threats in European workplaces and estimated to cause 1 million injuries each year.

Euro-MPs vote for 20 weeks paid maternity — 24 February 2010, 11:10 CET

Members of the European Parliament voted on Tuesday to massively extend full maternity pay to 20 weeks across the European Union and grant paid paternity leave of a fortnight for all.

Italians, Germans buy most fake medicines: research — 16 February 2010, 11:39 CET

The market in counterfeit medicines in Europe is worth an estimated 10.5 billion euros a year, according to research commissioned by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer out on Tuesday.

Safety of sunbeds - briefing — 12 February 2010, 23:57 CET

Consumers should be aware of the potential risks associated with using sunbeds according to the results of a market surveillance check of sunbeds and sunbed services, published today by the European Commission. Market surveillance authorities in 10 EU Member States inspected more than 500 sunbeds at over 300 locations (mostly tanning salons and wellness centres) between September 2008 and September 2009, and found three main problems: UV radiation limits for sunbeds were violated in one in seven sunbeds made available at tanning services; consumer guidance, including on the hazards of UV radiation or prohibiting their use by under 18s was not provided; there were insufficient warnings on the sunbeds themselves (e.g. that UV radiation may cause injury). Authorities are intensifying their work to ensure compliance with all relevant safety legislation and the results of the 2008/2009 check will feed into a follow up project launched today by authorities in 12 Member States to train more inspectors and improve information to consumers. Authorities are also working more with the sunbed industry, which is itself developing training material for service providers such as tanning studios.

European Commission DG Health and Consumers Contacts — 21 January 2010, 12:46 CET

Contacts of the European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Consumers.

Plant health: Harmful organisms — 21 January 2010, 12:46 CET

The aim of the Community plant health regime is to prevent the introduction into the community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products or their spread within the Community. In order to meet the this aim, rights and obligations are placed upon Member States to regulate the movement of plants or plant products within their territory and to regulate the introduction of plants or plant products into the Community from third countries. Obligations are placed upon third countries which want to export plants or plant products to the Community.

Trade and Imports of Animal Products - personal consignments — 21 January 2010, 12:46 CET

Personal consignments containing meat, milk or their products and brought into the EU continue to present a real threat to animal health throughout the EU. Hence pathogens could be introduced into the EU if personal consignments containing meat, milk or their products are sent by post or carried in the baggage of travellers arriving from countries outside the EU, where such pathogens may be circulating.

Food and Feed Labelling — 21 January 2010, 12:46 CET

In the EU rules are put in place on the labelling of foodstuffs to enable European consumers to get comprehensive information on the contents and the composition of food products. Labelling helps consumers to make an informed choice while purchasing their foodstuffs. For certain foods it is considered particularly important that the products should also be of a specific quality. In such cases legislation has been established defining specific rules on, for example, composition.

Nutrition and health claims — 12 January 2010, 19:39 CET

Nutrition and health claims which encourage consumers to purchase a product, but are false, misleading or not scientifically proven are prohibited. The aim is to improve protection of consumers’ health and rights. European legislation has created a list of nutrition and health claims and the conditions for their authorisation which applies throughout the EU.

Labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs — 12 January 2010, 19:40 CET

Pre-packaged foodstuffs must comply with compulsory harmonised EU standards on labelling and advertising. The details that must appear on packaging include the name under which the product is sold, a list of ingredients and quantities, potential allergens (products which may cause allergies), the minimum durability date and conditions for keeping.

Quality and safety standards for human blood and blood components — 11 January 2010, 23:54 CET

The extent to which human blood is used therapeutically demands that the quality and safety of whole blood and blood components be ensured in order, in particular, to prevent the transmission of diseases. This EU Directive lays down high standards of quality and safety of human blood and blood components throughout the Community. The objective is to introduce a comprehensive package of binding rules applicable throughout the whole blood transfusion chain.

Organ donation and transplantation in the EU — 11 January 2010, 23:54 CET

Organ transplantation remains essential for the treatment of certain diseases. However, several factors must be taken into consideration where this therapeutic method is concerned: the risk of transmission of disease, the limited supply of organs and organ trafficking. This EU communication therefore aims to present the various potential options to ensure the quality and safety of organs, increase their availability and combat organ trafficking.

EU regulators move against drugmaker Lundbeck — 07 January 2010, 16:33 CET

European Union regulators said Thursday they had launched an antitrust investigation against Danish anti-depressant drugmaker Lundbeck.

Sixth Environment Action Programme — 16 December 2009, 00:10 CET

The EU defines the priorities and objectives of European environment policy up to 2010 and beyond and describes the measures to be taken to help implement its sustainable development strategy.

Fake drugs trade on the rise, says EU — 08 December 2009, 00:16 CET

The trade in counterfeit medicines in the European Union has exceeded the body's worst fears, the European Industry Commissioner said on Monday.

No major problems with swine flu jab so far: EU — 03 December 2009, 16:50 CET

The vaccination of millions of Europeans against swine flu has yet to raise any major safety concerns, says the European Union's medicines watchdog.

Cross-border healthcare: patients' rights — 03 December 2009, 16:15 CET

The freedom to provide and receive health services throughout the European Union must be accompanied by guarantees of quality and security.

Cancer death toll in Europe drops — 30 November 2009, 23:58 CET

Cancer mortality in Europe has declined at a steady pace over recent years. New figures now published online in the journal Annals of Oncology show a drop of 9% between the first half of the 1990s and the period between 2000 and 2004 in the 27 EU Member States (EU-27). However, the researchers note differences between individual countries and also between the sexes.

Five million Europeans vaccinated against swine flu — 20 November 2009, 22:35 CET

The European Medicines Agency announced Friday that five million people in the European Union have been vaccinated against swine flu, after it conducted a fresh round of tests.

Relief at last... as Brussels opens new public toilets! — 13 November 2009, 15:52 CET

Its best-known icon is a fountain running through a statue of a small boy relieving himself, so it shouldn't come as any great surprise that Brussels was desperate on Friday to inaugurate a new wave of public toilets in its city centre.

Cheap smokes to become a thing of the past: EU — 10 November 2009, 20:34 CET

The days of taxed-to-the-hilt smokers bulk-buying cigarettes in cheap eastern European countries could be numbered following an agreement between European Union finance ministers.

Bulgaria asks EU for more anti-flu drugs — 05 November 2009, 14:07 CET

Bulgaria has asked its fellow EU members for additional supplies of anti-viral drugs in the face of a looming nationwide swine flu epidemic, health minister Bozhidar Nanev said Thursday.