European Commission launches public consultation on patient safety in healthcare
The European Commission launched on 25 March 2008 an eight week public consultation on patient safety. The results of this will help in the development of the Commission's proposal on general patient safety issues planned for the end of 2008. That proposal will address the important issue of patient safety throughout the European Union (EU) and will include a detailed first pillar, addressing healthcare-associated infections (HCAI), on which separate public consultations have already been held.
Patient safety issues can affect all EU citizens. The Commission would like to have the views of all those involved in this field from the patient and consumer to national competent authorities, from the health professional to the healthcare manager and anyone else who wishes to participate.
To participate in the consultation, please visit: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_overview/patient_safety/consultation_en.htm
European Commission launches public consultation in preparation of a legal proposal to combat counterfeit medicines for human use
Counterfeiting of medicinal products has become an increasing threat for patients and industry and a concern for EU and national policy-makers. The Directorate-General Enterprise and Industry is consulting all stakeholders and interested parties on key ideas for amending the regulatory framework for medicinal products in an effort to combat the counterfeiting of medicinal products.
The Commission has identified three areas of regulation of medicinal products where improvements to the regulatory framework could make a real contribution to protecting against counterfeit medicinal products:
1) Manufacture, placing on the market of medicinal products and related inspections
2) Import, export, transit (transhipment) of medicinal products
3) Manufacture, placing on the market of active substances and related inspections
Contributions should be sent by e-mail to entr-pharmaceuticals-counterfeit@ec.europa.eu by 6 May 2008.
Follow this link 
for more information.
European Commission launches public consultation on Invasive Alien Species
The European Commission has launched a pan EU public consultation on invasive flora and fauna species. These invasive alien species disrupt local flora and fauna and cause considerable damage to nature and the economy.
In Ireland the invasion of rhododendrons, Japanese knot weeds, and hogweed are having a particular impact on the local flora. In the last decade Lough Corrib has been invaded by Lagarosiphon, a weed native to southern Africa that suffocates the lakes ecosystem by creating a dense canopy impervious to light. Ireland's biodiversity is also under attack from non-native grey squirrels (who compete with native red squirrel).
Interested parties, including individual citizens, industry and consumer representatives, interest groups, the NGO community and other organisations are all invited to contribute information and opinions.
Follow this link to take part in the consultation, which will run until 5 May 2008.
Future of EU Budget
The European Commission recently launched an open debate on the future of the EU budget. All interested parties at local, regional, national and European levels are invited to contribute to the consultation which will cover the role of the EU budget and its political priorities.
The Commission hopes to get ideas on the structure and direction of the European Union’s spending priorities for the future and the best ways of providing the resources necessary to fund EU policies. The consultation will be open until April 2008 and, in order to guide the debate, the Commission has issued a consultation paper which highlights a number of key questions.
Follow this link for further information.
