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| Tue 15 October 2024 | View online Estimated reading time: 4-5 minutes |
| Hello , Chair of the Parliament’s public health subcommittee Adam Jarubas is optimistic about the future prospects of his committee. Though, as reported in yesterday’s pro brief, it isn’t entirely clear what its remit will be.
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| | | | Chair of parliament’s health committee optimistic about its future role |
| Chair of the Parliament’s Public Health (SANT) subcommittee on health, Adam Jarubas MEP (Poland, EPP) is optimistic about the future of the Health Committee.
“The formation of the committee will be completed once the Parliament votes on the status change and composition, but we are on the right track. The structure will be sealed when the exact competencies are agreed upon,” Jarubas told Euractiv.
As Euractiv has reported, the remit of a new committee are far from clear at this moment.
For Jarubas, establishing a dedicated health committee is a step in the right direction, “We fear that, as in previous parliamentary terms, the ENVI Committee will quickly become dominated by climate and environmental issues, leaving little room for health policy.”
Jarubas argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has generated grassroots support among EU citizens for greater EU involvement in health matters, “The crisis revealed the limitations of individual states in handling such challenges, but it also highlighted how much more can be achieved through cooperation rather than competition, which only drives up the cost of scarce resources.”
Poland’s upcoming presidency: Poland will assume the rotating EU Council presidency in the first half of 2025.
“We hope that several significant health topics will be on the agenda, though, of course, not everything depends on us,” Jarubas said.
With the Health Committee gaining full status, Jarubas sees a chance to elevate key health issues such as prevention, long-term care, and the use of digital technologies in healthcare. Read more here. |
| | | | Parliamentarians waver over decline of wine sector |
| Euractiv’s Agrifood team reports that the high-level group for the EU’s wine sector, which first met in September, will make a precise diagnosis of the crises facing the sector and work on proposals for a new EU legislative framework.
After two decades of growth in exports - which have tripled in value - the group is meeting against a backdrop of major cyclical and structural crises. Compounding matters is a long-term decline in wine consumption in the EU, which declined by 24% between 2010 and 2020.
Right-wing MEPs called for a return to a policy of promoting wine to boost the internal market and consumption, citing the limits on alcohol advertising imposed by the European directive on audiovisual media services (AVMS).
The centre-right EPP MEPs have called for an end to national legislation on health warning labels of alcohol in the EU, as Ireland passed in January 2023.
However, part of the Parliament might not agree. In early 2023, MEPs engaged in a tough battle over whether to attribute the term 'harmful' to 'alcohol consumption' in the Beating Cancer Action Plan report. Read the full story here. |
| | 🟡 World Health Summit, Berlin |
| | WHO secures a total of $1 billion dollars |
| At a pledging event for global health a total of $700 million was pledged by donors including Germany, France, Norway, non-profit organisations and companies. This was in addition to $300 million already committed by the EU and the African Union.
Bill Gates said, “I think this is the best money I’ve ever spent. And I believe that the citizens of all donor countries should feel the same way.”
German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz place the importance of the funding round on the need for sustainable funding for WHO to do its job, saying, “The WHO benefits us all. What it needs is sustainable financing to plan ahead and the flexibility to react.”
The funds will support the WHO General Programme of Work (GPW 14) for the 4-year period 2025-2028. The aim is to prevent 40 million avoidable deaths by disease over the next four years. |
| | AU-EU Innovation Agenda is a blueprint |
| Health policy and research experts from both sides of the Mediterranean gathered in Berlin for a high-powered session titled a the summit, "Reflecting on the AU-EU Innovation Agenda – How Far Have We Come?"
The AU-EU Innovation Agenda lays down a blueprint for collaborative research, aiming to close global health gaps and promote equity in scientific endeavours.
Prof. Dr. Peter Piot, EU Chief Scientific Advisor on Epidemics, captured the big picture: “We’re clearly in a transition phase […] this goes beyond health; it involves science, innovation, and business.”
Vaccines: From words to action Vaccine manufacturing in Africa was the top concern. Dr Abebe Genetu Bayih from Africa CDC, who didn’t mince his words, saying, “We cannot continue doing business as usual […] or Africa will stay at the end of the queue in terms of accessing essential medical products.” He added that momentum is building to ensure Africa is self-reliant when it comes to vaccines.
With €1.1 billion committed through the Global Gateway initiative, the EU is investing in boosting Africa’s ability to produce vaccines—a pressing issue highlighted during the pandemic.
Regulatory strength: Laying the foundation Dr Valérie Denux from French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi spotlighted the collaboration between African and European regulatory agencies, with Rwanda’s regulator leading the charge toward international recognition. “It's so important to have a strong regulator, if we want to have clinical trials and if you want to have research on the territory.”
An eye on the future: Sustainable, equitable partnerships The path forward? Prof. Dr. Jan Palmowski from The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities pushed for changing the current model: “If you want to do research collaboration in a deeply unequal world, you have to change the way you’re doing things,” echoing calls for more equitable collaborations. Long-term, sustainable partnerships that ensure Africa’s health and research needs are a priority. |
| | | | ‘Once-in-a-generation' revision of clean air laws agreed by environment ministers |
| After two years of negotiations, EU environment ministers agreed to a dramatic cut in toxic air pollution to the updated air quality standards greenlit by the Environment Council on Monday (14 October).
Air pollution is estimated to be responsible for 300,000 premature deaths annually in Europe, making it the foremost environmental health threat.
Welcoming the agreement, Anne Stauffer, deputy director of the non-profit Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), told Euractiv, “the limits in the Ambient Air Quality Directive are stricter than most previous national limits and align more closely with WHO’s air quality guidelines. The directive also enforces deadlines for member states to reduce air pollution and imposes penalties for non-compliance.”
“This was a rare, once-in-a-generation opportunity for lawmakers to revise air quality standards to better protect people’s health, and we are pleased that they have seized it,” said Emma Bud, a lawyer at environmental law charity ClientEarth.
The new directive, which consolidates two previous directives, strengthens the provisions on access to justice for those seeking compensation for failure to implement the directive. ClientEarth is currently helping people in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Poland to take legal action against their national governments “to recognise the human right to healthy air in court.” Read more here. |
|  | | | | European medical students to receive training on the impacts of climate change on health |
| Twenty five leading medical school across Europe and the UK launched the European Network on Climate and Health Education (ENCHE), to teach students how to recognise the impacts of climate change.
“From the spread of infectious diseases to increasingly deadly heatwaves, the health impacts of climate change are becoming ever more dangerous. As educators, it is our responsibility to ensure that the next generation of doctors, health professionals and medical leaders have the skills they need to face these challenges,” said the Professor Iain McInnes at the University of Glasgow, who are co-chairing the network.
Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesu, said that health workers needed to have the competencies, “to address this major public health challenge.” Medical schools in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and the UK are involved. The aim is to train 10,000 students. ENCHE will also receive support from AstraZeneca, Bupa, GSK, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Roche, Sanofi and the World Health Organisation. |
| | | | G7 holds first-ever ministerial meeting on disability and inclusion |
| The first-ever Group of Seven (G7) meeting on disability and inclusion is taking place between the 14-16 October in Assisi and Solfagnano in Italy. Ministers will adopt the Solfagnano Charter, whose priorities include universal accessibility, prevention of emergencies, independent living and work inclusion, full participation in civil, social, and political life, artificial intelligence and sport and services for all. “G7 countries and the EU must lead by example in implementing our motto ‘Nothing Without Us.’ We expect that these political commitments will be translated into concrete actions that improve our lives,” said Yannis Vardakastanis, president of The European Disability Forum. According to The European Disability Forum, it is crucial that the G7 fully addresses the concerns of all persons with disabilities, especially those from communities at risk of marginalisation, such as roma and women with disabilities. The Charter will be adopted on 16 October. |
| | Council approves European disability card and a European parking card |
| The Council of the European Union has given the green light to a European disability card and parking card that will help over 100 million people with disabilities in the EU when travelling on short trips between countries. “We are happy that, finally, the last hurdles were cleared,” said Yannis Vardakastanis, the President of the European Disability Forum. “We now hope to see the same ambition and swiftness from EU countries in starting to issue and accept the cards.” Reduced or zero entry fees, priority access, assistance, and reserved parking spaces are all features of the new directives. The card will cover both public and private services, including transportation, museums and cultural activities. European disability cards will be recognised as proof of disability status across the EU by national authorities. Member states have two and a half years to adapt their national legislation and three and a half years to fully apply them. |
| | | | New coalition to fight for inclusive fertility care launches |
| A group of 12 organisations will launch the ‘Coalition for Fertility’ today (15 October). The group wants to create a future where fertility care is accessible for all, and reproductive decisions are free from economic, social, or political barriers.
"We are launching the Coalition for Fertility in Brussels, and this is more than just an event – it’s the start of a powerful movement across Europe,” said Klaudija Kordic, Chair of Fertility Europe.
“Together, we are committed to making comprehensive and inclusive fertility care a fundamental right. We will not stop until everyone, regardless of their background, has the ability to make informed and empowered choices about their reproductive lives.”
Infertility affects one in six people in Europe, but parenthood remains out of reach for many due to high costs, limited healthcare access, and discrimination. Marginalised groups because of race, sexual orientation, disability, income, or asylum status face even greater obstacles, despite Europe's commitment to fairness and equality.
Four MEPs will participate at the launch: Eleonora Meleti MEP (Greece, EPP), Maria Noichl (Germany, S&D), Kira-Marie Peter Hansen (Denmark, Greens), andMarko Vesligaj (Croatia, S&D). |
| | | | | Dutch LUMICKS secures €20 million from EIB to accelerate tool for cancer drug discovery |
| The Netherlands - The European Investment Bank (EIB) and LUMICKS have agreed on a €20 million venture debt agreement to accelerate the launch of its new product, designed to advance immunotherapy development for cancer research. The financing is supported by the European Commission under the InvestEU initiative.
“This investment from the EIB enables us to accelerate our R&D timeline, ensuring we continue innovating to deliver a long-lasting impact in the immunotherapy space,” said LUMICKS CEO Hugo de Wit. “By providing deeper insights into cellular interactions, our instruments empower researchers to make faster, better-informed decisions, with the goal of improving success rates in clinical trials and accelerating the development of effective therapies.”
LUMICKS already employs 170 people and describes itself as, “a next-generation life science tools company focused on enabling more efficient research, drug development, bioprocessing, bioproduction quality control, and patient treatment.” Read more here. |
| | Eli Lilly to invest €334 million in a UK-based innovation accelerator |
| UK - As part of the new Labour government’s International Investment Summit, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting announced a £279 million (€334 million) investment with Eli Lilly, to launch the first ‘Lilly Gateway Labs’ innovation accelerator in Europe.
Streeting said, “I see the NHS not just benefiting from new treatments and new technologies developed by the private sector. I want the NHS in the driving seat, actively helping to drive what will be a transformation in how we deliver health and care in this century because of genomics, AI, machine learning, big data.”
The investment is focused on obesity and will bring together treatments and technologies developed by the life sciences sector and the health system to demonstrate improved long-term health outcomes.
Chair and CEO of Eli Lilly & Company, David Ricks, said, “Today’s announcement is an important milestone, and we are pleased to reinforce Lilly’s commitment to improving health for people living with obesity and its serious consequences.”
It is estimated that obesity costs the UK health service more than £11 billion each year. NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said, “We know weight loss drugs will be a game-changer, alongside earlier prevention strategies, in supporting many more people to lose weight and reduce their risk of killer conditions.” |
| | Czechia facing shortage of mental health professionals despite funding increase |
| Czechia - Mental health care reforms are at risk of stalling due to a severe shortage of psychiatrists and psychologists.
Reforms already undertaken include increased funding for psychiatric services and the establishment of community-based mental health centres. However, only half of the planned centres are operational due to the lack of personnel.
"Everyone wants mental health centres, but until there is staff, there will not be more of them," said Czech Health Minister Vlastimil Válek (TOP 09, EPP).
"Mental health care and improving its accessibility and quality are among my top priorities. These changes require a comprehensive approach," Válek said.
Tomáš Kašpárek, Vice-Chairman of the National Council for Mental Health, warned that without a sustained influx of new professionals, the system could collapse under the weight of demand. "We estimate that we need 100 psychiatrists to graduate annually to fill the gap that will come with demographic shifts.”
This problem has been compounded by an ageing workforce, with many current professionals nearing retirement. According to Kašpárek, the system still relies heavily on older professionals, and as they retire, the shortage will become even more acute. Read more here. |
| | | | | | | | | Commission v Hungary, on the scheduling of cannabis and cannabis-related substances |
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| | | | | | | EU Flu Day against seasonal influenza |
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| | | | Heads of government meet in Brussels |
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| | Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT), European Parliament, Brussels Presentation of the Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on smoke and aerosol-free environments by Antonio Parenti, Director for Public health, Cancer and Health security, DG SANTE; Exchange of views with Professor Claudio Bassetti from the European Brain Council on neurological health; Presentation of the study of the Policy Department for Economic, Scientific and Quality of Life Policies' on ‘Current challenges and opportunities for addressing obesity’ |
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| | | | Heads of government meet in Brussels |
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| | | | Working Party on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Hungary compromise proposal on incentives |
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| | | | | Today’s brief was brought to you by Euractiv’s Health team |
| | | | | Today’s briefing was prepared by the Health team: Catherine Feore, Clara Bauer-Babef, Emma Pirnay, Thomas Mangin, and Lydia Williams. Additional reporting from Jeremias Lin who is attending the World Health Summit in Berlin and Paulina Mozolewska. Share your feedback or information with us at digital@euractiv.com. |
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