On 28 May, Commissioner Androula Vassiliou (responsible for health, food and feed safety, animal health and welfare), who replaced former Commissioner Markos Kyprianou, outlined her key projects in the Commission’s Annual Policy Strategy for 2009 in front of the ENVI committee and held a long exchange of vies with MEPs.

In her introductory statement he Commissioner emphasised that she wants to "increase dialogue" between the institutions and "work closely together with the Parliament" to "move the European agenda forward". Her main issues during the next months will be:

cross boarder healthcare

 part of the social agenda that "will hopefully be adopted in June"
 to tackle inequalities in healthcare throughout Europe
 fighting HIV/AIDS in Europe and neighbourhood
 to develop a European strategy to combat diseases
 concerning the forthcoming patient’s rights directive: "I am ready. The day it is approved by the College of Commissioners I will present it to you."

improve food labelling

 to enable consumers to read food labels easily
 to clarify what ingredients the products contain (especially already mixed alcoholic drinks)
 it should be a flexible mechanism to be easily adapted to the different markets

novel food

 to simplify pre-market approval

During the meeting she answered several questions by the MEPs. In particular, she answered a question on pesticides by Christa Klass (EPP-ED, DE): What about the commissioner’s hard line on banning plant protection products? Isn’t that dangerous in terms of EUs competitiveness?, saying that "We will not reduce the standards of health." That is why the EU will not allow substances that may harm human health. A compromise on this issue can not be accepted. However, there are not many substances affected (only 2% - 5%). The commissioner wants to "encourage industry to find substitutes".