PREPARATION OF THE COUNCIL (ENVIRONMENT) MEETING ON 20 DECEMBER 2007 Environment and Health - Draft Council conclusions

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  1. Tekst
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1.

Tekst

  • 1. 
    The Commission presented its communication on the Mid-term review of the European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010 on 11 June 2007.
  • 2. 
    On the basis of these documents, the Presidency presented draft Council conclusions intended to pursue the strengthening of the integration of Environment and Health concerns in all

relevant EU policies.

  • 3. 
    The Working Party on the Environment examined the draft Council conclusions at its meetings on 16 October and 19 November 2007.

At the close of the WPE meeting of 19 November 2007, it emerged that the text was generally agreeable to most delegations.

  • 4. 
    The latest Presidency compromise text, which takes into account comments from Member States, is set out in the Annex to this Note.
  • 5. 
    The Committee of Permanent Representatives is invited to agree on this text and forward it to the Council (Environment) for adoption at its meeting on 20 December 2007.

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ANNEX

Environment and Health

Draft Council conclusions

The Council of the European Union,

  • 1. 
    CONCERNED about the health problems associated with environmental determinants, such as respiratory diseases, asthma and allergies, neurodevelopment disorders, cancer, and

1

endocrine disrupter effects , and particularly those affecting vulnerable population groups such as children in their different developmental stages, pregnant women, the elderly, and the

socio-economically disadvantaged;

  • 2. 
    RECOGNISING that enhanced cooperation at all levels is required in order to better assess impacts, to prepare adequate responses and to advance disease prevention and health

promotion;

2

  • 3. 
    RECALLING the renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS) where one of the key challenges is public health with the overall objective to promote good public health on

equal conditions and improve protection against health threats, including actions on

environment and health;

3

  • 4. 
    EVOKING the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme aimed at contributing to a high level of quality of life and social well-being for citizens by providing an environment

where the level of pollution does not give rise to harmful effects on human health and

environment;

1

EEA Report, No. 10/2005. 2

10117/06 of the Council of European Union, 9 June 2006. 3

Decision No 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and the Council, 22 July 2002.

4

  • 5. 
    RECALLING the European Environment and Health Strategy and its Action Plan 2004 5

2010 designed to improve the information chain to understand the links between sources of pollution and health effects, to fill the knowledge gap by strengthening research and

addressing the emerging issues concerning the environment and health and to review policies

and improve communication;

  • 6. 
    TAKING NOTE of the Commission Communication on a "Mid-term Review of the European 6

Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010" , which reviews progress and identifies areas that should receive particular attention in future;

7

  • 7. 
    BEARING IN MIND the Conclusions on Health in All Policies adopted by the Council in November 2006, which called for a plan for work in Health in All Policies and the

development of the knowledge base on health and its determinants, on trends in them, and in

health inequalities;

  • 8. 
    TAKING NOTE OF the recently adopted "Together for Health: A Strategic Approach for the 8

EU 2008-2013" , aimed at fostering good health in an ageing Europe, protecting citizens from health threats and supporting dynamic health systems and new technologies;

[ 9. REFERRING TO the Second Programme of Community Action in the Field of Health (2008 9

2013) , aimed at complementing, supporting and adding value to the policies of the Member States and contributing to increased solidarity and prosperity in the European Union

by protecting and promoting human health and safety and improving public health;]

4

COM(2003) 338 final, 11 June 2003.

5 COM(2004) 416 final, 9 June 2004. 6

COM(2007) 314 final, 11 June 2007. 7

doc. 16167/06. 8

COM(2007)630 Final. 9

COM(2005)0115 Final; Decision still to be adopted.

  • 10. 
    WELCOMING the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for

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Research and Technological Development that includes specific actions in the field of environment and health;

  • 11. 
    ACKNOWLEDGING the importance of the four World Health Organisation (WHO)

Ministerial Conferences, which culminated in the adoption of the European Charter on

11 12 13

Environment and Health (1989), the Helsinki (1994), London (1999) and 14

Budapest (2004) Declarations;

  • 12. 
    RECOGNISING the important work done under the framework of the Children's

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Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe (CEHAPE) highlighted by the 16

Intergovernmental Mid-term Review (2007) , and the need to strengthen it in the future;

  • 13. 
    REFERRING to the EEA report 10/2005 on Environment and Health and to the report

"Health and the Environment in the WHO European Region: situation and policy at the

st 17

beginning of the 21 century" , which assess the situation and policy with regard to human health and the environment;

18 th

  • 14. 
    TAKING NOTE OF the "Building bridges to the Future" Declaration at the 6 Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" of the United Nations Economic Commission for

Europe, which reflects the commitment for improving a healthy environment throughout the

region for present and future generations;

10

Decision No 1982/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006. 11

WHO doc. EUR/ICP/RUD 113. 12

WHO doc. EUR/ICP/CEH 212. 13

WHO doc. EUR/ICP/EHCO 02 02 05/18Rev.5.

14 WHO doc. EUR/04/5046267/6. 15

WHO doc. EUR/04/5046267/7. 16

http://www.euro.who.int/IMR2007. 17

WHO doc. EUR/04/5046267/BD/5. 18

ECE/BELGRADE.CONF/2007/8.

  • 15. 
    RECOGNISING the interlinkages between the environment and human health and the

importance of current work within UNEP and the multilateral environment agreements in

safeguarding the environment for human health;

  • 16. 
    URGES the Commission and the Member States:
  • - 
    to strengthen the integration of environment and health (E&H) concerns in all relevant policies, strategies, plans and programmes;
  • - 
    to pursue the implementation of the Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010 by focusing on the necessary priorities and resources in order to reach the goals in due

time;

  • - 
    to recognise the need for early action on E&H problems, and the benefits of preventive and precautionary measures;
  • - 
    to pursue and increase funding for research programmes, including demonstration and awareness initiatives, which are aimed at providing more effective prevention and

response to hazards/risks, scientifically-sound planning and decision support;

  • - 
    to develop tools for anticipating, preventing and responding to potential threats from identified emerging and re-emerging E&H issues, such as climate change, biological

and chemicals and pesticides safety and security, allergens and irritant substances,

endocrine disrupters, persistent organic pollutants, and antimicrobial resistance;

  • - 
    to continue to support research and to develop specific risk assessment as concluded by the opinion of Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks

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(SCENIHR) regarding the possible environmental, health and safety impacts of nanomaterials and nanoproducts to ensure that the public can benefit from the

innovations they may bring while being protected from any adverse impacts;

  • - 
    to strengthen the involvement of relevant stakeholders through partnerships across sectors at all levels, including intra and intergenerational engagement, with a view to

improving awareness and knowledge and developing innovation and more effective

participation;

  • 17. 
    INVITES the Commission:
  • - 
    to continue developing a comprehensive environment and health information system to identify hazards, set planning priorities, measure progress, and changes in the

environmental quality and health status, in order to facilitate international comparisons

and evaluation of policies;

  • - 
    to promote a European environment and health network, in close cooperation with Member States, to support the development of an environment-related health problems

database to enable better understanding of multi-cause E&H relationships;

  • - 
    to support further development of tools and guidance on assessment, prevention, management and communication of environment and health risks, in close cooperation

with Member States;

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doc. SCENIHR/002/05.

  • - 
    to ensure adequate funding for the EU pilot project on human biomonitoring (HBM), as endorsed by the Mid-term Review, in order to implement this project as early as

possible, fulfilling the commitment established in the European Environment and

Health Action Plan 2004-2010, providing therefore data to develop, adapt and evaluate

environmental policies;

  • - 
    to increase funding research activity to further strengthen the scientific evidence-base for environment-health relationships, in order to improve evidence-based policy

making;

  • - 
    to further develop and harmonise methodologies for E&H cost-benefit analysis for application in new policies as appropriate, giving special attention to the WHO and

OECD initiatives in this field, in order to improve the efficiency of their

implementation;

  • - 
    to consolidate guidelines on healthy and safe indoor environments, giving special attention to construction products, energy performance of buildings, gas and heating

appliances, chemical substances, eco-design, equipment and furniture, as well as

outdoor environmental conditions;

  • - 
    to gather information on environmental determinants with positive health impacts, such as biodiverse environments, non-motorized means of transport and housing conditions;
  • - 
    to define, in close cooperation with Member States, priorities, resources and, if necessary, associated reporting requirements to be devoted to a second cycle of the EU

strategy on E&H, and to proceed with the commitment at the WHO level, particularly

the Fifth Ministerial Conference in 2009;

  • 18. 
    INVITES the Member States:
  • - 
    to give due consideration to both environment and health costs and benefits of the proposed actions in the decision-making process;
  • - 
    to encourage the collection of data covering environment and health aspects, for example through volunteer monitoring programmes, promoting civic participation under

technical/scientific guidance;

  • - 
    to actively promote and ensure access to information and public participation in environment and health matters, building awareness-raising and creating an effective

environment and health conscience;

  • - 
    to encourage the integration of environment and health literacy into school curricula from an early age, leading to the empowerment of citizens through life-long learning

and contributing to healthy personal choices and the adoption of healthy behaviours;

  • - 
    to increase the training on environment and health issues of professionals in relevant fields;
  • - 
    to share experiences and best practices in order to assist better planning and definition of priorities.

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2.

Originele weergave

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3.

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