Euro Brief


February 2007. No: 2/2007 Green Paper on smoke free public places
The European Commission has published a Green Paper on smoke free public places. The paper outlines a number of policy options that are available at the EU level to combat the dangers of second hand tobacco smoke. Currently, a number of non-binding resolutions and recommendations call on the EU Member States to provide for protection from second-hand smoke. In addition, a number of occupational health and safety directives set out some specific restrictions on smoking in the workplace. However the EU Health Commissioner has stated that he wants to see a comprehensive smoking ban adopted throughout the EU. The policy options outlined in the paper range from maintaining the current status quo to introducing binding legislation. The Green Paper is open for consultation until 1 May 2007 with further Commission proposals expected in 2008. The BMA will submit a response to the consultation.

Advanced therapy medicinal products
The European Parliament’s public health committee has adopted a report on a draft EU regulation designed to encourage the development of gene therapy, cell therapy and tissue engineering. MEPs were unable to reach agreement on the same report last year when a number of amendments were submitted calling for ethical safeguards. These amendments have now been rejected in favour of a single legal amendment calling for the scope of the regulation to exclude medicines containing or deriving from human embryonic and foetal cells or human germ cells. In addition to this, the committee demanded guarantees about the safety of the products and techniques used. The report will be voted on during the March plenary session.

BMA submits response to EU health strategy consultation
The BMA has submitted a response to the European Commission consultation on the implementation of the new EU Health Strategy. The strategy will be adopted in June 2007 and will run for 10 years. It will form the basis of the EU’s health-related work over this period. Please contact the Brussels Office for a copy of the consultation response.

European Commission publishes new health and safety strategy
The European Commission has published the new five-year health and safety at work strategy. The new strategy will run from 2007 to 2012 and aims to achieve an overall 25% reduction in occupational accidents and diseases in the EU. For more information, please see: http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/health_safety/index_en.htm

MEPs debate health services
The European Parliament’s health and consumer intergroup met this month during the monthly plenary session to debate the issue of cross border health services. The intergroup consists of those MEPs with a particular interest in health matters. The meeting heard statements from a variety of health actors on the impact of cross border mobility. MEPs are expected to adopt a full report on the issue in April.

The European Health Management Association is hosting a conference in Brussels on 30 March which will also look at cross border health services. The cost of attendance is €160.

Public consultation: indoor air quality
The European Commission and the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) has launched a consultation process on indoor air quality. In January, the SCHER adopted a preliminary report on the risk assessment of indoor air quality. The committee identified a number of factors in the indoor environment that can affect well-being and health. These include chemicals in products intended for indoor use or unintentional emissions from different sources, particles, microbes, humidity, pets and pests. Stakeholders are invited to comment through an online consultation aimed at gathering feedback on the appropriateness of current risk assessment methods for indoor air and how they can be improved. The consultation is open until 3 April 2007. The BMA does not anticipate submitting a response. The consultation is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/04_scher/scher_cons_01_en.htm

Access to medicines
MEPs have asked the European Commission and Council of Ministers for support to urge pharmaceutical company Novartis to withdraw its case against the Indian government. MEPs introduced a written declaration calling on Novartis to withdraw its complaint, which challenges Indian drug patent law. The declaration will become an official Parliament resolution if at least half of the MEPs sign it within three months of its introduction.

Public consultation: the role of sport
The European Commission is intending to publish a policy paper on the role of sport in the EU later this year. The planned White Paper will focus on three key elements: the role of sport in European society, the economic impact of sport, and the organisational aspects of sport in Europe. To this end, it has launched a public consultation asking stakeholders for their views on the content of the paper. The consultation can be accessed at: http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=OnlineConsult2007&lang=en

Comments are invited until 3 April 2007. The BMA does not anticipate submitting a response.

MEPs highlight schools' role in the fight against obesity
A European Parliament report has called on Member States to inform people from an early age about the consequences of a poor diet and to ensure that schools have enough sports facilities. MEPs adopted the non-binding report in response to the Commission's Green Paper on ‘Promoting healthy diets and physical activity’ which was published in December 2005. Amongst other things, the report calls on stakeholders such as computer game manufacturers, sports associations and broadcasters to become more engaged in the debate taking place in the EU obesity platform.

Funding opportunities: EU Public Health programme
The European Commission has released the 2007 call for proposals under the EU Public Health programme. The total budget available is €40 million with the Commission providing 60% of total project costs. The priority projects for funding include:

Sharing of health data and monitoring systems
Health technologies assessment
E-Health
Environment and health
Patient safety
Health threats including pandemics, migration and chemical agents
Threat preparedness
Safety of blood, tissues and organs
Health determinants such as alcohol, drugs and tobacco
Information campaigns on addictive substances
Lifestyle approaches
HIV/AIDs, mental health, sexual health
Public health
Disease prevention

Interested participants are strongly advised to read the full list of priorities which can be found at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2007/l_046/l_04620070216en00270044.pdf

The deadline for the submission of project proposals is 21 May 2007.

Funding opportunities: Lifelong learning
The European Commission is offering funding for projects in the field of lifelong learning. Projects can focus on a range of fields including pupil exchange, online leaning and adult education. The deadlines for funding range from 15 March 2007 to 30 April 2007 depending on the actions. For further information, please see: http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/llp/index_en.html

Financing sustainable healthcare in Europe
As mentioned in the December 2006 EuroBrief, the report on ‘Financing sustainable healthcare in Europe’ is now available at: http://www.3dink.co.uk/mysharedaccounts/fipra/The_Cox_Report.pdf

European medical organisations: meetings
The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) and the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) will hold their spring meetings (in Warsaw and Brussels) during March. Key issues on the agenda will include the election of a new President of the CPME. The BMA is likely to put forward a candidate for this.

© British Medical Association 2008

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