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 As
follow-up to the European Environment and Health Strategy,
the Environment and Health Action Plan 2004-2010 is
designed to give the EU the scientifically grounded
information to reduce the adverse health impacts of
certain environmental factors and to endorse better
cooperation between actors in the environment, health
and research fields. It has three main themes: improving
the information chain, filling the knowledge gap and
reviewing policies and improving communication.
In June 2004 the Commission launched an Environment
and Health Action Plan, covering the period of 2004-2010.
It is the follow up of the Commission’s European
Environment and Health Strategy launched in June 2003
and served as the Commission’s contribution to
the Fourth
Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health,
organised by the WHO in Budapest in June 2004.
The Action plan has been prepared based on extensive
consultations with experts and stakeholders from the
environment, health and research field across the enlarged
Europe and builds on an assessment of the current baseline
knowledge in the areas of:
(1) Integrated monitoring of dioxins & PCBs, heavy
metals, endocrine disrupters;
(2) Childhood cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders,
respiratory health;
(3) Human biomonitoring, environment and health indicators,
research needs;
as compiled by the different technical working groups.
The Action Plan proposes an integrated approach involving
closer co-operation between the health, environment
and research areas. Its added value is the development
of a Community System integrating information on
the state of the environment, the ecosystem and human
health to render the assessment of the environmental
impact on human health more efficient. To this end,
the Action Plan also proposes to launch a coordinated
approach to Human Biomonitoring between the
Member States.
The Action Plan identifies 13 actions with a focus
on :
- improving the information chain by developing integrated
environment and health information
- filling the knowledge gap by strengthening research
on environment and health and identifying emerging
issues
- reviewing and adjusting risk reduction policy and
improving communication
This Action Plan is being implemented in close co-operation
with experts from all the Member States and representatives
of the main stakeholders. In December 2004 the Dutch
Presidency and the Commission co-organised an International
Conference which specified further the implementation
measures to be developed.
Progress on implementation is being reported to a
Consultative Forum
set up by the Commission since the beginning of the
consultation process
on Environment and Health in 2003.
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