Press note: Health should remain in the scope of the ENVI committee
Press note: HEAL calls on the European Parliament to maintain health within the scope of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
Press Release: 73 EU candidates pledge a toxic-free future ahead of EU-elections
Press release: In a move to prioritise public health and environmental sustainability, nineteen leading environmental and health organisations have united to call on EU candidates to commit to a toxic-free Europe.
Press note: New Study – Chemical exposure can lead to higher risk of metabolic syndrome in children
Press note: New Study – Chemical exposure can lead to higher risk of metabolic syndrome in children
Press note: Member States water down Toy Safety Legislation
Press note: The Council of the EU adopted their position on the updated rules of the toy safety regulation, which leaves many gaps on children’s protection from harmful chemicals.
Press note: 2024 Climate and Health Policy Priorities for Europe
Press note: The Lancet Europe Countdown report on health and climate change 2024 indicates European governments have not successfully protected their citizens from the health impacts of climate change.
Press release: Clean air in cities for better health
Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to everyone's health across the EU, and one of the leading risk factors for chronic diseases. Today, pathways to reach clean air in cities by 2030 will be discussed by more than 340 participants from 33 countries at an international conference taking place in Brussels.
Press note: Health groups call on the European Parliament to protect children’s health from harmful chemicals in toys
Press note: Health groups call on the European Parliament to protect children’s health from harmful chemicals in toys
Press note: Health groups welcome restriction on widely used sub-family of PFAS
Press note: Member state’s representatives voted in the REACH Committee to restrict PFHxA – a subfamily of the “forever chemicals” PFAS - that is widely used in for example clothing and food contact materials.
Press note: New scientific study indicates PFAS can increase risk of disease in unborn children
The Health and Environment Alliance welcomes a new scientific study published in Lancet Planetary Health by researchers at Aberdeen and Örebro Universities that indicates PFAS affect people as early as in the fetal stage of development.
Press note: Agreement on the CLP reform – health groups welcome the outcomes of the negotiations
The Health and Environment Alliance welcomes the compromises reached throughout the discussions. The agreed legislative changes have the potential to make CLP a more protective and efficient piece of legislation.
Press release: ECHA report confirms that regulatory action is needed on PVC and its additives
Civil society organisations welcome the publication of the new investigation report on PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and its additives by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The findings clearly indicate harm to health and environment from some substances added to PVC and the release of its microparticles.
Press note: Glyphosate: failed Member States’ vote shows it is impossible to ignore science – European Commission called to drop its proposal
The European Commission failed to get enough support for its proposal to reauthorise the use of glyphosate, the world’s most widely used pesticide which is associated with risks of cancer and other health disorders, for another ten years. It is the second time in two months that EU governments fail to reach the required majority to adopt the Commission’s plans. HEAL urges the European Commission to withdraw its proposal for a renewal based on the amount of scientific evidence warranting serious health impacts.
Press note: European Parliament votes to protect health with the reform of the CLP legislation
A majority of members of the European Parliament supported the report proposed by the ENVI committee on the revision of the legislation on the classification, labelling and packaging of chemical substances (CLP). The reform of CLP is crucial to improve the protection of workers and citizens through more effective hazard identification, labelling and packaging of chemicals in industrial and commercial use.
Press release – Victory for health: European General Court upholds ban for chlorpyrifos-methyl
Today the General Court of the European Court of Justice ruled that the 2019 EU-wide ban of the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos-methyl remains in force. This follows a legal case against the European Commission by Ascenza Agro and Industries Afrasa, manufacturers of the pesticide, which challenged the quality and the legality of the scientific assessment that led to the ban.
European Parliament recognises the European Green Deal as a significant contributing factor to cancer prevention in Europe
The European Parliament has adopted its non-legislative report responding to the publication of the EU Commission 2021 communication on Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, recognising the EU Green Deal is a key tool to limit people’s exposure to pollution and prevent cancer.
How ATHLETE research on the Human Exposome offers tools for lifelong disease prevention and policy action: New overview article in Journal of Environmental Epidemiology
A new overview paper in the Journal of Environmental Epidemiology connects the dots on how the ATHLETE project's research on the Human Exposome offers advanced tools for lifelong disease prevention and policy action.
Glyphosate: Health and cancer groups ask France to publicly clarify contradictory position regarding the health effects of the world’s top-selling herbicide
Is France making a dangerous U-turn on its position on glyphosate? In an open letter published today, HEAL, the Association of European Cancer Leagues and La Ligue contre le Cancer urge the French government to publicly clarify its position regarding the health risks posed by the substance.
HEAL reaction to the European Commission’s Zero Pollution Action Plan
Today, the Commission published its Zero Pollution Action Plan for air, water and soils (ZPAP). Anne Stauffer, Director for Strategy and Campaigns at HEAL commented: “The European Commission today has…
If Europe really wants to beat cancer, it needs to drastically reduce environmental pollutants and action its Zero Pollution ambition
Today the European Commission launched the Beating Cancer Plan, marking the beginning of a new era in cancer prevention. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) has welcomed the ambitious plan as a major step forward to prevent cancer by preventing pollution.
Survey shows almost 50% of Belgians are unaware of health-harming endocrine disrupting chemicals in daily lives
Results from a new survey published by the Belgian Independent Health Insurance Funds (Mutualités Libres / Onafhankelijke Ziekenfondsen) reveal nearly half of Belgian citizens have little knowledge of what endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are and how they can impact our health.
