7th EAP: Will environment ministers deliver on E&H protection?

Deliberations on the 7th EU Environment Action Programme are intensifying. On 11 June, EU environment ministers will adopt their recommendations for the new programme. HEAL is pleased to see that both within the European Parliament and among Environment Ministers there is support for health & environment concerns. Yet this commitment needs to translate into concrete targets and actions, as well as adequate financing.

HEAL has been monitoring the EU process closely. We’ve raised our concerns both with the European Parliament as well as in a joint letter to EU environment ministers.

In their resolution, members of the European Parliament have underlined that poor environmental conditions have a substantial impact on health, involving high costs. They take the view that the 7th EAP should address outdoor and indoor air pollution, noise and its impact on health, and provide for specific measures on emerging threats, such as nanomaterials, endocrine disruptors and chemical mixtures. MEPs also stress the need to include action to protect children’s health from environmental pollution and to tie the 7th EAP in with the 2nd EU Action Plan on Environment and Health.

EU Environment ministers also discussed the 7th EAP at their informal meeting in Horsens, Denmark. But the real work for ministers starts now with the drafting of Council conclusions to be adopted at the next Environment Council on 11 June.

10/05/2012

Originally posted on 10 May 2012