HEAL advocates for policies to benefit peoples’ health and the environment
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Press contact: Nea Pakarinen nea@env-health.org
EUHAC letter: Health for all: the next EU budget (MFF) as a driver for clean air for all
The EU Healthy Air Coalition (EUHAC), a coalition of diverse constituencies of the health sector, urges the Commission President to ensure that the next EU budget will help the EU substantially advance towards clean air and the prevention of the major diseases caused by air pollution.
Concerns about the Sixth Omnibus on chemicals: joint NGO letter to EU Commission President and Commissioner for Economy
HEAL has signed a letter, initiated by ClientEarth, alongside other organisations, calling for the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification Valdis Dombrovskis calling to refrain from advancing the proposed deregulatory chemicals omnibus to protect health and the environment.
CHEM Trust and HEAL conference on the REACH revision 2025
CHEM Trust and HEAL will host a high-level conference on 29 September 2025. The event will bring together policymakers, civil society organisations, industry representatives and experts, to discuss challenges and opportunities of modernising and simplifying the EU’s chemical safety rules and better protect people’s health and the environment.
Press release – From cosmetics to ‘forever chemicals’: the EU’s deregulation drive puts people’s health at risk
Today’s publication of the European Commission’s chemicals omnibus confirms serious concerns: if pushed through the proposal will significantly weaken protections in the Cosmetic Products Regulation, allowing the prolonged use of carcinogens and other harmful chemicals in personal care products.
Letter to MEPs: People’s health at the centre of EU climate policy beyond 2030
Ahead of a European Parliament debate in which MEPs will be considering the ambition of the European climate policy for the next two decades, HEAL has sent a letter highlighting that the decisions taken will either increase the health burden from climate change or help prevent health impacts.
Letter to EU environment ministers: People’s health at the centre of EU climate policy beyond 2030
Ahead of an informal ministerial meeting on 10-11 July, at which EU environment ministers will be considering the ambition of the European climate policy for the next two decades, HEAL has sent a letter highlighting that the decisions ministers take will either increase the health burden from climate change or help prevent health impacts.
Press release – The EU’s climate target lacks the urgency needed to protect people – health groups call on member states to step up
The EU’s proposed 2040 climate target to reduce domestic emissions by 90% - while allowing up to 3% to be met through international carbon credits – risks undermining health protections. The Health and Environment Alliance calls on member states to strengthen their climate commitments in order to protect health, rather than delay and weaken overdue action.
Press release – From cosmetics to ‘forever chemicals’: the EU’s deregulation drive puts people’s health at risk
Today’s publication of the European Commission’s chemicals omnibus confirms serious concerns: if pushed through the proposal will significantly weaken protections in the Cosmetic Products Regulation, allowing the prolonged use of carcinogens and other harmful chemicals in personal care products.
Press release – The EU’s climate target lacks the urgency needed to protect people – health groups call on member states to step up
The EU’s proposed 2040 climate target to reduce domestic emissions by 90% - while allowing up to 3% to be met through international carbon credits – risks undermining health protections. The Health and Environment Alliance calls on member states to strengthen their climate commitments in order to protect health, rather than delay and weaken overdue action.
Press release – 250 scientists call on the European Commission to address people’s exposure to chemical mixtures
HEAL welcomes the call from 250 scientists urging the European Commission to follow scientific recommendations and include provisions to account for the effects of chemical mixtures to better protect health in the upcoming revision of REACH, the EU’s regulation for chemicals.
HEAL response to articles in DIE WELT on NGO funding
HEAL response to the articles in the German newspaper DIE WELT “Secret contracts and powerful…
Press note – The chemicals omnibus should not erase barriers to protect health
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) held a ‘Reality Check Workshop’ on the potential simplification of chemicals legislation. The legislations on the table: Cosmetics Products Regulation and the Regulation on Classification, Labelling and Packaging of chemicals (CLP). The presented proposals are very alarming: allowing carcinogenic substances more readily in cosmetics and personal care products and deleting the planned CLP update to make labelling in products more legible for consumers and workers.
Press note – Health groups urge to address burden of pollution in EU long-term budget deliberations
The May 2025 vote on the European Parliament’s priorities for the next EU long-term budget (Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034) included many important health considerations, including on financing for measures to prevent climate change and biodiversity loss. Unfortunately, MEPs failed to include financing to address pollution and the related health impacts. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) calls on earmarking at least 10% of the next EU budget for zero pollution objectives across various funding instruments.
Press note – Health groups call for ambitious health protection in REACH revision
As the revision of EU chemicals legislation REACH is underway, the Health and Environment Alliance urges the European Commission to uphold its commitments on safer chemicals and ensure that ambitious health protections remain at the heart of the project.
EUHAC letter: Health for all: the next EU budget (MFF) as a driver for clean air for all
The EU Healthy Air Coalition (EUHAC), a coalition of diverse constituencies of the health sector, urges the Commission President to ensure that the next EU budget will help the EU substantially advance towards clean air and the prevention of the major diseases caused by air pollution.
Concerns about the Sixth Omnibus on chemicals: joint NGO letter to EU Commission President and Commissioner for Economy
HEAL has signed a letter, initiated by ClientEarth, alongside other organisations, calling for the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification Valdis Dombrovskis calling to refrain from advancing the proposed deregulatory chemicals omnibus to protect health and the environment.
Letter to MEPs: People’s health at the centre of EU climate policy beyond 2030
Ahead of a European Parliament debate in which MEPs will be considering the ambition of the European climate policy for the next two decades, HEAL has sent a letter highlighting that the decisions taken will either increase the health burden from climate change or help prevent health impacts.
Letter to EU environment ministers: People’s health at the centre of EU climate policy beyond 2030
Ahead of an informal ministerial meeting on 10-11 July, at which EU environment ministers will be considering the ambition of the European climate policy for the next two decades, HEAL has sent a letter highlighting that the decisions ministers take will either increase the health burden from climate change or help prevent health impacts.
Letter to EU Heads of State: Strengthening health protection on climate change and pollution as part of EU preparedness, security, and financing efforts
EU Heads of State will be exchanging on EU defence, competitiveness, and preparedness matters as part of the European Council. HEAL urges them to strengthen health protection and disease prevention as part of EU preparedness and financing priorities, by placing health protection at the centre of EU climate efforts, strengthening legislative efforts to reduce chemicals pollution and stepping up investments in better health, not pollution.
Letter to EU environment ministers: REACH revision and environmental health priorities
HEAL has sent a letter to EU environment ministers ahead of an Environment Council meeting on 17 June 2025, calling on them to ensure that the REACH revision will deliver the long-awaited improvement of human health and environment protection from harmful chemicals.
NGO letter: restricting PVC and its additives under REACH
NGOs are calling for the European Commission to take immediate and ambitious action to restrict polyvinyl chloride (PVC) under the REACH Regulation in a letter.
The Polish EU Presidency needs to protect health from climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss
Opinion by HEAL Poland Director Weronika Michalak: as the urgency to act on the triple crisis - climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss - becomes increasingly clear, I hope that the Polish Presidency of the European Union, which began on 1st January this year, will set the course for decisive EU climate and environmental policies aimed at protecting people's health across Europe.
Opinion: EU’s leaked strategic agenda makes zero mention of health
HEAL Director Génon K. Jensen writes for EUobserver on the importance to reflect the heavy toll climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution are taking on health in the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 .
Opinion: Playing games with children’s health
HEAL Programme Lead Health and Chemicals Sandra Jen writes for Social Europe: Toys are among the top products in the European Union reported for health-and-safety risks. They account for 23 per cent of all alerts for dangerous consumer products in the EU’s rapid-alert system. The position recently adopted by the Council of the EU on revision of the legislation on toy safety is thus concerning, notably in failing to support a bans on PFAS and bisphenols.
Opinion: The latest update of EU clean air standards could benefit Poland greatly
The revised Ambient Air Quality Directive is a great tool for the Polish government to swiftly shift from the costly smoggy past to a clear new era, with happier and healthier people in tow, Weronika Michalak, Director of HEAL Poland writes for Euronews.
The Polish government is in a key position to ensure an ambitious EU Air Quality Directive
The EU has a unique public health opportunity with the current revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive, and the newly elected Polish government can help ensure this. Watering the law’s ambition down with delays and exemptions would be a major, unacceptable setback for people in Poland - one of the countries with the highest economic burden to health from air pollution in the EU.
Opinion: How industry can launder a health-risking substance: Titanium dioxide should remain classified as carcinogenic within the EU
Titanium dioxide (TiO2), often used for its whitening capacity and found in daily products such as sunscreens and cosmetics, is suspected of causing cancer. But the hazard classification of the substance as a suspected carcinogen has been a long and winding road, with the scientific and political battle culminating in a legal row at the European Union’s highest court—to the detriment of citizens and workers - Natacha Cingotti writes for Social Europe.
Tribune collectif: La réglementation européenne sur les substances chimiques doit être révisée d’urgence
Alors qu’une consultation publique visant à restreindre l’usage des « polluants éternels » a été lancée le 22 mars, des mutuelles et des organisations spécialisées en santé environnementale rappellent, dans une tribune au « Le Monde », l’urgence d’une actualisation ambitieuse du règlement européen sur les substances chimiques.
Webinar: PFAS and cancer – what do we know about forever chemicals?
HEAL's Sandra Jen spoke at a recent webinar organised by the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL), to discuss the health impacts of PFAS pollution and specifically their link with cancer.
Webinar: Impact of pesticides on human health
The Health and Environment Alliance organises a webinar on the impact of pesticides on human health on the occasion of the Pesticide Action Week 2025. The webinar will see experts from the European Environment Agency and others present their work on this front.
HEAL webinar series on the health impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
To raise awareness of the impacts of PFAS on human health, HEAL is organising a series of three webinars in October 2024, each focusing on a different health impact of PFAS. The first webinar on 10 October focuses on impacts on the immune system. The subsequent webinars will focus on cancer and the impacts of exposure in early life and pregnancy.
HEAL webinar: Endocrine disruptors and women’s health
A recording of our latest webinar on the impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals on women's reproductive health is now available.
Women’s health and endocrine disruptors: FREIA research project launches new webinar series
This webinar series from the FREIA research project brings together leading partners to talk about their scientific findings after five years of research into the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on female reproduction.
Webinar – Ambient Air Quality EU Directive: A public health need
Salud por Derecho, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Ecologistas en Acción, IS Global and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) organise a webinar entitled "Ambient Air Quality EU Directive: A public health need". More...
