Public Health Policy in the EU

Latest news on the public health policy of the European Union.

EU adopts list of approved flavouring substances — 02 October 2012, 14:12 CET

Flavouring substances in food will become even safer and more transparent thanks to two pieces of legislation adopted today by the European Commission. Only those flavouring substances featuring on the approved lists will be permitted for use by the food industry. Used to alter the taste and/or odour of food, flavourings substances have a long history of safe use in a wide variety of foods, such as soft drinks, confectionery, cereals, cakes and yoghurts, and have now been evaluated at EU level. These two new pieces of legislation will clarify and harmonise the use of flavouring substances within the single market: The first Regulation1 provides for a new EU wide list of flavouring substances which can be used in food and will apply from 22 April 2013, giving time for the EU food industry to adapt to the new rules. All flavouring substances not in the list will be prohibited after a phasing out period of 18 months. The second Regulation2 concerns transitional measures for other flavourings such as flavourings made from non-food sources and will apply from 22 October 2012. The new list includes over 2,100 authorised flavouring substances. A further 400 will remain on the market until EFSA concludes its evaluation. These have been used for a long time and have already been assessed as safe by other scientific bodies.

EU Regulatory Framework for Medical Devices and In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices — 26 September 2012, 16:16 CET

Ranging from simple sticking plasters to the most sophisticated life-supporting machines, medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices are central to our health and quality of life. To ensure that these devices serve the needs and ensure the safety of European citizens, the European Commission has proposed two Regulations which are fit for purpose, more transparent and better adapted to scientific and technological progress. The new rules aim to ensure that patients, consumers and healthcare professionals can reap the benefits of safe, effective and innovative medical devices. The medical device sector is highly innovative, particularly in Europe and has an estimated market value of around EUR 95bn.

New Biocides Regulation - guide — 17 July 2012, 19:05 CET

New rules on biocides enter into force today. They will bring a significant boost to the protection of human health and the environment. Biocidal products are necessary for the control of organisms that are harmful to human or animal health or that cause damage to materials. But as their properties can also pose risks to humans, animals and the environment, they need careful regulation. The new regulation on biocidal products will increase the safety of these chemical products and simplify their authorisation on the EU market, improving their free movement on the internal market.

European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs — 11 July 2012, 11:11 CET

The home page of ESPAD – the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. ESPAD is a collaborative effort of independent research teams in more than forty European countries and the largest cross-national research project on adolescent substance use in the world. The overall aim with the project is to repeatedly collect comparable data on substance use among 15–16 year old students in as many European countries as possible.

List of permitted Health Claims on food products - guide — 16 May 2012, 17:38 CET

Health claims on food labelling and in advertising, for example on the role of calcium and bone health or vitamin C and the immune system, have become vital marketing tools to attract consumers' attention. EU consumers now expect accurate information on products they buy, in particular on the health claims the products may put forward. Today, a list of 222 health claims has been approved by the European Commission. This list is based on sound scientific advice, will be used throughout the EU and will also help to remove misleading claims from the market before the end of the year.

EU Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods — 16 May 2012, 17:36 CET

The EU Register is for information only, showing: Permitted nutrition claims and their conditions of use Authorised health claims, their conditions of use and applicable restrictions, if any; Non-authorised health claims and the reasons for their non-authorisation; EU legal acts for the specific health claims; National measures mentioned in Art. 23(3) of Regulation EC 1924/2006. The Commission will update the EU Register when required, namely upon adoption of EU decisions on applications for claims or on changes to conditions of use and restrictions.

Medical devices — 31 January 2018, 15:43 CET

The diversity and innovativeness of the medical devices sector contributes significantly to enhancing the safety, quality and efficacy of healthcare in the EU. Covering a wide range of products, from simple bandages or sticking plasters to the most sophisticated X-ray equipment, the medical devices sector plays a crucial role in the diagnosis, prevention, monitoring and treatment of diseases. It also helps improve the quality of life of those with disabilities.

Animal Welfare Strategy 2012-2015 - guide — 19 January 2012, 17:32 CET

The European Commission has adopted a new four-year strategy (2012-2015) that aims to further improve the welfare of animals in the European Union.

Strategy for the Protection and Welfare of Animals 2012-2015 - EC Communication — 19 January 2012, 17:14 CET

The European Commission has adopted a new four-year strategy (2012-2015) that aims to further improve the welfare of animals in the European Union.

European Union Register of nutrition and health claims made on food — 07 December 2011, 23:16 CET

This European Union Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods (“the Register”) has been established as foreseen in Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 and is updated regularly. Some sections of this Register are missing and will be completed, as appropriate, following the procedures detailed in the Regulation and depending on the applications for authorisation of health claims.

List of permitted Health Claims for use on Food - guide — 07 December 2011, 23:49 CET

In a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, EU Member States supported the European Commission's draft Regulation to adopt a list of permitted health claims for use on food.

Antimicrobial Resistance - guide — 17 November 2011, 17:57 CET

With about 25,000 patients dying per year in the EU from infections caused by drug resistant bacteria and related costs of over 1.5 billion euros in healthcare expenses and productivity losses , antimicrobial resistance is a growing health problem in the EU. Today, on the eve of European Antibiotic Awareness Day, the European Commission tabled a comprehensive Action Plan on Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which unveils12 concrete actions to be implemented in close cooperation with the EU Member States.

Plant health pests and EU funding programmes to deal with them - guide — 16 November 2011, 17:07 CET

The European Union today earmarked 19 million euros to co-finance programmes in seven Member States aiming to combat organisms harmful to plants and to prevent them from spreading further in the Union and thus from having sever consequences on the internal market. During a meeting of the Standing Committee on Plant Health (SCPH), the Member States endorsed two Commission proposals providing the co-financing (EUR 15 and EUR 4 million respectively) of actions already undertaken in the past or planned to be executed next year.

EU move to reduce cigarette ignited fires - guide — 14 November 2011, 23:54 CET

Cigarettes left unattended are one of the leading causes of fatal fires in Europe. Evidence shows that the number of fatalities can be reduced by over 40% with the introduction of 'Reduced Ignition Propensity' (RIP) cigarettes. This means cigarettes which self extinguish when left unattended and which are thus less likely to cause fire. This safety measure is already in place in some countries globally (US, Canada, Australia), and, in the EU, in Finland since April 2010. As from 17th November 2011, once the new safety standards are published in the EU Official Journal all cigarettes sold in Europe will have to comply with these measures. It will be the role of the national authorities to enforce this new fire safety measure.

Database on Food Additives — 14 November 2011, 14:08 CET

This database can serve as a tool to inform about the food additives approved for use in food in the EU and their conditions of use. It is based on the Union list of food. This list is in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. The Union list was established after the transfer of the food additives permitted for use in foods under Directives 94/35/EC, 94/36/EC and 95/2/EC, in a new food categorisation system. Some additives and uses which are now longer needed are not entered in Annex II.

Food Additives - guide — 14 November 2011, 14:15 CET

The use of additives in food will soon become safer and more transparent thanks to two pieces of legislation adopted by the European Commission.

Health and Consumer Programmes 2014-2020 - guide — 09 November 2011, 18:28 CET

The European Commission has adopted proposals for the new Health for Growth and Consumer Programmes. The two programmes aim to foster a Europe of healthy, active, informed and empowered citizens, who can contribute to economic growth. These new programmes will run from 2014-2020 with a budget of EUR 446 million for the Health for Growth Programme and EUR 197 million for the Consumer Programme. Focus will be on fewer concrete actions that offer clear EU added-value.

Binge drinking more common in northern Europe — 09 November 2011, 13:25 CET

The relationship between drinking and damage to one's health is stronger in the Baltic countries and Sweden than in Italy, new research from Europe shows. The findings, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, suggest that the northern part of Europe tends to report higher alcohol-harm relationships because of a stronger propensity to indulge in heavy episodic drinking, what experts label 'binge drinking'.

Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) — 10 August 2017, 23:05 CET

Created in 1979, RASFF - the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed - enables information to be shared efficiently between its members (EU-28 national food safety authorities, European Commission, EFSA, ESA, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland) and provides a round-the-clock service to ensure that urgent notifications are sent, received and responded to collectively and efficiently. Thanks to RASFF, many food safety risks had been averted before they could have been harmful to European consumers.

Report documents growing importance of the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed — 25 October 2011, 17:49 CET

The European Union's system for quick exchange of information on risks linked to food and feed - an invaluable tool especially at times of crisis - has further grown in importance during 2010, the system's annual report reveals.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) - guide — 05 July 2011, 23:39 CET

EFSA publishes report from its Task Force on the E. coli O104:H4 outbreaks in Germany and France in 2011 and makes further recommendations to protect consumers

"Ex-smokers are Unstoppable" campaign - guide — 16 June 2011, 17:03 CET

Ex-smokers are unstoppable" is the slogan of the EU-wide campaign launched today by European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli. Tobacco is the single largest cause of avoidable illness in the European Union and the estimated cause of death of over 650,000 people in the European Union every year. 1 in 3 people smoke. The 3 year campaign being launched today will focus on the positive effects of stopping smoking and will use a coordinated mix of advertising, social media, events and practical tools to reach smokers and help them quit.

Traditional herbal medicines: more safety for products put on EU market — 29 April 2011, 23:58 CET

From 30 April 2011, EU citizens can be reassured that the traditional herbal medicines they buy in the EU are safe and effective. The expiry of the 7 year transition period set out in the 2004 Herbal Directive (2004/24/EC) means that only medicinal products which have been registered or authorised can remain on the EU market after 1 May 2011. The Herbal Directive introduces a simpler registration procedure than for other medicinal products, in respect of the long history of use of traditional herbal medicinal products. At the same time, the Directive provides the necessary guarantees of their quality, safety and efficacy.

EU Health Programme - funding schemes — 15 January 2013, 21:43 CET

The Health Programme supports activities that improve and protect human health. Different funding schemes are available depending on the type of project. The type of funding for each activity is set out each year in a work plan – with the aim to achieve goals as efficiently as possible with the full cooperation of programme stakeholders. Unless indicated otherwise tender, the basic principle is joint funding: Commission grants cover a certain percentage of projects' overall costs.

Public consultation on the eHealth Action Plan (eHAP) 2012-2020 — 05 April 2011, 15:44 CET

The questionnaire is open to all interested stakeholders and aims at understanding if the proposed eHealth Action Plan objectives are in line with the aims, objectives and expectations of stakeholders. It further aims to examine if there are additional areas which require further development in the context of the action plan. The eHAP aims at Increasing awareness of the benefits and opportunities of eHealth and improve its legal certainty.