Projects
Council calls for further research on environmental and health risks
Ministers attending the EU's Environment Council on 27 October warmly welcomed
the recently launched European environment and health action plan, but claimed
that further research strategies need to be integrated into the plan.
The aim of the action plan is to reduce diseases caused by environmental factors
in Europe. In order to achieve this goal, the plan seeks the better
understanding and identification of health problems related to environmental
degradation, with a view to preventing new health threats linked to
environmental pollution. Special emphasis is given to the most vulnerable groups
in society, in particular children.
While ministers agreed that the action plan 'represents an important step
towards establishing a coherent, long-term, integrated Community policy to
combat environmental and health threats', they pointed to a number of areas
where potential synergies can be exploited, particularly with regard to
research.
These include developing closer cooperation and a 'strict linkage' between the
Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) and other Community programmes, with a view to
increasing the understanding of environmental and health risks. Input from
scientific institutions from Member States should also be used when implementing
the action plan, said ministers.
Furthermore, consultative and technical working groups established by the
Commission, the Council notes, should work closely with scientists, taking into
account their work and their advice.
In the first stage of the action plan, the Council calls on the Commission to
develop a research base for the socio-economic evaluation of the impact of
environmental and health policies and measures, with a particular focus on the
health of children and other vulnerable groups. In addition, the Commission was
asked to consider including, in the first stages of the action plan, research on
the less explored health and environmental threats such as indoor pollution,
noise and contaminated water.
Data Source Provider : Environment Council
Document Reference : Based on the conclusions from the Environment Council
Programme Acronym : FRAMEWORK 6C, FP6-INTEGRATING, FP6-SUSTDEV,
FP6-LIFESCIHEALTH
Subject Index Codes : Scientific Research, Environmental Protection, Medicine,
Health
Contact Person : To read the conclusions in full, please consult the following
web address:
http://ue.eu.int/pressData/en/envir/77784.pdf