European Public Health News * In support for the New Environment and Health Action Plan (EHAP) of EC * Message from the WHO Regional Director for Europe: Health in All Policies * Pandemic influenza preparedness and response planning * News from EUPHA--increasing our services to our members * On behalf of the Local organizing committee, ASPHER and EUPHA

Abstract

We are pleased to provide you with interesting news from the key players in European public health. Our president, Stan Tarkowski, continues his efforts in the field of environment and health by supporting the New Environment and Health Action Plan (EHAP) of the European Commission. Zsuzsana Jakab, regional director of WHO/EURO emphasizes the intersectoral nature of public health by reflecting on WHO’s Health in All Policies. The European Commission DG SANCO reports on the planned revision on the pandemic influenza preparedness guidelines folowing the lessons learned from the 2009 to 2010 pandemic. Of course, some reflections on EUPHA and the upcoming 3rd European public health conference in Amsterdam this November are also included. # In support for the New Environment and Health Action Plan (EHAP) of EC {#article-title-2} Following the Second European Public Health Conference in 2009 and the WHO Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health in Parma 2010, which put the environmental health into the focus of public health in Europe, I am once more, on this column, drawing attention of EUPHA on this important public health issue. The reason of this return is in connection with the European Commission Report on the implementation of the ‘European Environment and Health Action Plan 2004–2010’ [Commission document SEC (2010) 387 final], the first edition of such an action plan of the European Commission. The EHAP identified 13 specific actions which are jointly implemented by the Directorates-General for Environment, Health and Consumers, Research and the Joint Research Centre. Furthermore, the EHAP is an ‘umbrella’ bringing together all the EU initiatives in the environment, health and research sectors designed to improve environmental health. EHAP targeted research on diseases, disorders and exposures. Under the EU Framework Programmes for Research, a number of projects have been designed to improve knowledge on links between environmental exposures and four priority diseases (childhood respiratory diseases, neuro-developmental disorders, cancer and endocrine disrupting effects). One …