Date of release :
15-06-2005
Policy area :
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs
In the framework of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union an Environment and Health Conference took place on June 13-15 2005 in Luxembourg. Representatives from the European Union and its 25 Member states, European experts and members of the European civil society took part in this conference, which was organised by the Luxembourg Ministry for Health.
Mars Di Bartolomeo, Minister for Health, took this initiative with a view to providing a coherent follow-up to the conference launching the European Action Plan on Environment and Health organised at Egmond aan Zee in December 2004 under the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
This Luxembourg conference aims to draw up concrete proposals that Member states can use at national level. "Because the issue is now to go from a European plan to national initiatives," Mars Di Bartolomeo stated, "we have to ensure that Europe progresses, that our approach is pragmatic. If we make declarations of principles, we need to ensure that European citizens see concrete results on the ground."
Therefore, this European conference wishes to work towards standardising existing methods of measurement and assessment in the area of "Baubiologie" or building biology, and to providing coherent analyses and formulating concrete recommendations to remedy health problems caused by negative environmental impact.
The Luxembourg presidency stresses that sustainable implementation of European Action Plans on Environment and Health can only be achieved if the precautionary principle and relevant preventive measures are adhered to and if a partnership of all European actors, in particular the Commission, European and national parliaments and NGOs, is also guaranteed.
Finally, for Mars Di Bartolomeo, the conclusions of the conference could guide Member states to choose strategies favouring the implementation of the European Action Plan for 2004-2010 for the environment and health."