The Council of the EU and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement on a new law making it easier to exchange and access health data at EU level. The agreement will now need to be endorsed by both the Council and the Parliament. The proposed regulation for a European Health Data Space (EHDS) aims to improve individuals’ […]
Read MoreThe Community of Madrid is the EU region with the highest life expectancy at birth
In 2022, the life expectancy at birth in the EU was 80.6 years, up by 0.5 years from 2021. Over two decades, since 2002, the highest value was recorded in 2019 when life expectancy at birth reached 81.3 years (up 3.7 years compared with 2002). However, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this indicator declined to 80.4 in […]
Read MoreEEA: Cutting pollution would significantly reduce heart attacks and strokes in Europe
Scientific evidence shows that environmental risks are responsible for a large part of cardiovascular diseases, the most frequent cause of death in Europe. A European Environment Agency analysis, published, presents the link between the environment and cardiovascular disease and highlights that action against pollution, extreme temperatures and other environmental hazards is a cost-effective measure to […]
Read MoreEEA says European population’s exposure to bisphenol A use exceeds safe health thresholds
According to the EEA report, based on data collected in an EU human biomonitoring study, up to 100% of the participating individuals in 11 EU countries were likely to be exposed to the chemical, at levels above safe health thresholds. This raises important health concerns for the EU population as a whole. Taking into account […]
Read MoreCommission decides to partially register a European Citizens’ Initiative on Cannabis
The Commission decided to partially register a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘European Cannabis Initiative’. The organisers call on the Commission to: convene a trans-European citizens’ assembly on cannabis policies, including sanctions and the consistency of Member States’ policies; foster access to medical cannabis and allow the transportation of cannabis and its derivatives prescribed for […]
Read MoreCommission calls for eradication of Female Genital Mutilation worldwide
Ahead of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on 6 February 2024, the European Commission and the High Representative/Vice-President reaffirm the EU’s strong commitment to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation worldwide: “Female Genital Mutilation is a violation of human rights and a form of violence against girls and women. Let us be […]
Read MoreCommission recommends new measures on vaccine-preventable cancers under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan
The European Commission is putting forward a Recommendation to support Member States in their efforts to prevent cancer through vaccination. Notably, it focuses on boosting the uptake of two key vaccinations that can prevent viral infections that may lead to cancer: against Human papillomaviruses (HPV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV), as well as improving the monitoring of coverage rates. […]
Read MoreEU Global Health Strategy: Council approves conclusions
The Council approved conclusions on the ‘EU Global Health Strategy: Better health for all in a changing world’, in which it reaffirms the leading role of the EU and its member states in advancing global health. The Council acknowledges that physical and mental health is a human right and that health is a prerequisite for sustainable development. The Council welcomes the […]
Read MoreAccording to Eurostat, 15% of the EU population has problems with memory and concentration
In 2022, 14.9% of people in the EU reported moderate or severe difficulty with remembering or concentrating. Among the EU countries, the highest shares of people facing difficulties in remembering or concentrating were recorded in Finland (33.6%), Denmark (26.7%), the Netherlands (26.0%), Sweden (25.2%) and Estonia (24.9%). In contrast, the lowest percentages were reported in […]
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