Food: Report concludes that EU action is needed to set legal limits on trans fats

The European Commission has adopted today a report on trans fats (TFA) in food and in the overall diet of Europeans. This issue is a worldwide concern as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have notably adopted a decision last June to remove partially hydrogenated oils from foods within three years. The Commission's preliminary report suggests that setting a legal limit for industrial TFA content would be the most effective measure in terms of public health, consumer protection and compatibility with the single market. The way in which such legal limit could be technically put into practice would require further investigation. The report notes that there are food products with high industrial TFA content available on the European market and there are public health gains to be reaped by reducing intake.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the EU and a high intake of TFA seriously increases the risk for heart disease - more than any other nutrient on a per calorie basis. Although average intake in the EU has been reported below national and international recommended levels, this cannot be said for all groups of population.

This report analyses how effective different EU wide measures could be on the potential health benefits for consumers but also the potential burdens for food producers. The options that were investigated included mandatory labelling of TFA, setting legal limits of TFA content in food and voluntary approaches to food reformulation. So far, TFA labelling is not well understood by consumers and increases the complexity of identifying healthier food choices. The effectiveness of voluntary approaches to food reformulation could be limited as it would clearly depend on the scope of industry participation and the coverage of food products on the market.

The Commission will shortly launch a public consultation and carry out an impact assessment to collect more information and build on the analysis provided by today's report. This process will inform the Commission's policy decision in the near future.

Trans fats are a particular type of fats that may notably be produced industrially as partially hydrogenated oils.

Access to health services in the EU: Launch of public consultation on preliminary opinion

Today, the Commission and its independent Expert Panel which gives non-binding advice on matters related to “effective ways of investing in health”, launch a public consultation on a preliminary opinion which explores options for action to improve equity of access to health services in the EU.

Interested parties are invited to provide comments on the preliminary opinion online before 6 November 2015.

The preliminary opinion addresses barriers to accessing health care and explores policy measures that can overcome them. Ways to improve equity could include matching health needs and financial resources, affordable and accessible health services, the availability of a sufficient number of health workers with the right skills, and the availability of quality medicines and medical devices. The preliminary opinion pays special attention to access to health services for underserved groups as Roma, undocumented migrants and people with mental health problems.

Relevant comments submitted to this public consultation will be reflected in the final opinion, which is expected to be adopted by the end of November 2015.

AMR to remain a priority in the EU beyond 2016‏

The Commission today publishes a progress report on its five year Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The report summarises the progress made under each of the 12 actions.

For example, to strengthen the promotion of the appropriate use of antimicrobials in human medicine (action 1), the EU is financing ARNA, a study to identify the drivers behind the attainment of antibiotics without a medical prescription, and the ARPEC project aiming to improve the quality of antibiotic prescribing for children.

To strengthen surveillance systems in the food chain (action 10), a Commission Implementing Decision (2013/652/EU) entered into force on 1 January 2014 which ensures harmonised monitoring systems in Europe, fosters comparability between the Member States and between the human and veterinary sectors and facilitates the monitoring of patterns of multi-drug resistance in the EU.

To strengthen the prudent use of antimicrobials (action 2) the Commission adopted in September 2014, new legislative proposals on veterinary medicines and on medicated feedthat will address the threat of AMR in both areas - notably, a legal tool to preserve certain antimicrobials for human use in the veterinary medicines proposal.

For a state-of-play on the actions, read the full report and see the roadmap. Amongst the report’s conclusions is that AMR will remain a priority in the EU b! eyond 2016.

Also today, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have published a joint Annual EU Summary Report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in zoonotic and indicator bacteria from humans, animals and food.

Ebola: Commission organises meeting with European health professionals

The Commission has invited European health and other professionals likely to enter into contact with Ebola patients to a meeting in Luxembourg tomorrow. The aim is to identify gaps and challenges for organisations and their members in the context of Ebola, and to identify areas for EU support and discuss possible joint activities.
Invitees include European groups of medical specialists such as doctors, nurses and hospital pharmacists, patients’ groups such as the European Patients’ Forum, and border organisations such as Airports Council International and the European Sea Ports Association.
The meeting will provide a forum to exchange information on Ebola. The Commission will inform participants about activities to tackle Ebola at EU level, and learn how organisations of health professionals inform their clients/target groups about Ebola.
Background
The current Ebola outbreak is affecting the West Africa region: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. It is the worst outbreak of the epidemic ever on record. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, calling for a coordinated international response.
The European Commission and EU Member States are closely collaborating within the Health Security Committee (HSC) to manage the latest developments and to coordinate approaches on prevention and preparedness for Ebola.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are producing risk assessments, epidemiological updates, advice to travellers and other information about th! e emergency.

For all the latest information on Ebola:

http://ec.europa.eu/health/ebola/index_en.htm

Commissioner Dalli and UEFA President Michel Platini agree ‘smoke-free’ EURO 2012 will score goals for Europe’s health

Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli and UEFA President, Michel Platini, today announce their joint support of tobacco-free sporting events to help promote a smoke-free Europe. UEFA's decision to ban tobacco from the world's third-biggest sporting event aligns with the European Commission’s ongoing efforts in tobacco cessation and control and sends a strong and inspirational message to men and women across Europe about the value of a life without tobacco.

Commissioner Dalli is delighted with UEFA's decision and underlined its potential wider impact: "UEFA is leading from the front with a tobacco-free EURO 2012 and setting the standard for sporting initiatives across Europe. Much like our “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” campaign, seeking to inspire men and women across Europe to give up cigarettes and become ‘unstoppable’ in their smoke-free lives, a tobacco-free EURO 2012 can inspire millions to quit smoking and score goals for their health! It can mark the beginning of a new life that our campaign can help sustain.”

UEFA President Michel Platini said: “A tobacco-free EURO 2012 is about respecting the health of our spectators and everyone else involved in the tournament. A complete ban on the use, sale or promotion of tobacco in all stadia involved in UEFA EURO 2012 is a demonstration of UEFA's wider commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles through football."

The “Ex-smokers are Unstoppable” campaign is an initiative launched to address the overwhelming burden of tobacco-related disease and mortality across the EU. “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” seeks to support men and women across Europe to quit or continue to stay away from tobacco through motivating and inspirational messaging and activities such as football. Uniquely “Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” promotes the positive benefits of a life without tobacco; which include better health, better social interaction, more money and ultimately a better quality of life.

Background

Tobacco is the single largest cause of avoidable death in the EU, accounting for around 650 000 premature deaths per year. Successful tobacco control must tackle the problem from every conceivable angle. The "Ex-smokers are Unstoppable" campaign is an important element of the Commission's tobacco policy in addition to legislation and support to Member States.

“Ex-Smokers are Unstoppable” includes a website (www.exsmokers.eu) available in all EU languages, 27 national Facebook pages and is realised through a series of pan-European events. Crucial practical support and advice is also available through iCoach, a state-of-the-art online health tool accessed for free through the campaign website.

Support for the campaign has been overwhelming with over a million unique visitors accessing its social media pages, and more than 160, 000 men and women actively seeking support through the iCoach service to date. With further activities planned throughout 2012, the campaign looks set to inspire an ever-growing European audience of smokers and ex-smokers alike.