Euro brief
1-15 January 2005, No.1/2005
- Mental Health Conference Highlights Shocking Treatment Gap
- Little Luxembourg’s big plans for EU health policies
- Ban on Snus marketing valid says court
- Italy Introduces Smoking Ban
- Sceptics cry wolf over constitution
- EU Council emergency meeting on Tsunami
Half of Europe’s depression sufferers receive no treatment, despite the fact that nine out of the ten countries with the highest suicide rates are in Europe.
A high level conference bringing together the European Union and the Council of Europe discussed these findings in a drive to bring mental health into mainstream health policy-making.
The WHO European Ministerial Conference in Helsinki (12-15 January) brought together all the 52 countries in the European region to agree effective policies and actions to plug the treatment gap in mental health policy making.
Almost 20% of the burden of disease and one in four Europeans will have a mental health disorder at some point in their lives.
Mental health services are not available in a quarter of countries in the European region. In more than a third of European region countries, treatment for severe mental disorders are not available from GPs and there are no training programmes on mental health for doctors.
In some countries, half of all patients are treated in large mental hospitals.
The EU-25 does not have a great track record, either. Mental health treatment accounts for just 5.8% of overall health expenditure even though the costs of mental health problems are estimated to be 3-4% of the gross national product.
The action plan adopted by the conference has 12 priority areas. For more information - www.euro.who.int/mentalhealth2005
Little Luxembourg’s big plans for EU health policies
It is the size of Sheffield, yet the small - but grand - duchy of Luxembourg will be responsible for steering through legislation at the European Council for the next six months.
The EU’s rotating presidency means every Member State has a chance to chair the Council, despite its size or economic weight. The UK will follow Luxembourg when its term expires in June. Finland and Austria will take over the reins in 2006. After this a new system will be introduced whereby presidencies will be run in groups of three, with each group generally containing a large and a small member state and at least one new member state.
The Luxembourg Presidency has announced its priorities for health policies. They include; food and nutrition, safety and health at work, the EU health strategy and health care and patient mobility.
The Presidency also plans to issue proposals on pharmaceuticals for children, tissue engineering and medical devices. Also there will be proposals on tobacco ingredients, measurement standards, health warnings and batch numbering and tracing. Action may be taken on patient safety, epidemics, bioterrorism and alcohol.
For more information, visit www.eu2005.lu/en/index.html
Ban on Snus marketing valid says court
The European Court of Justice has ruled that an earlier judgement prohibiting the marketing of tobacco products for oral use is valid.
A European Directive on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products covers Snus - a chewing tobacco popular in Scandinavia.
Swedish Match, a snus manufacturer - along with a German company which markets tobacco, filed a complaint against the prohibition.
Italy Introduces Smoking Ban
Italy was the latest EU Member State to introduce a smoking ban in bars, restaurants, offices and factories. The ban is only limited, however, to workplaces that do not provide special sealed-off rooms with smoke extractors.
A fine of 2000 Euros may be levied on business that do not comply. Smokers themselves could be liable to a 275 Euro fine. This can double if a smoker lights up in front of a child or pregnant woman. Italy follows Ireland, Malta and Norway in introducing restrictions to smoking in public places.
Sceptics cry wolf over constitution
Euro-sceptics brought a wolf mascot to a debate on the EU Constitution in Strasbourg on 11th January to highlight their claims that the new treaty is a 'monster'. However, pro-Europeans shrugged off the stunt as proof that euro-sceptics are crying wolf over the Constitution.
The European Parliament was debating the Constitution for Europe, which will replace all existing EU treaties and voted overwhelmingly in favour. The report by Mr Richard CORBETT (UK Labour) and Mr Íńigo MÉNDEZ de VIGO (Centre-Right, Spain) was adopted by 500 votes in favour versus 137 against and 40 abstentions.
The Constitution will enter into force on 1 November 2006 but not before a whole series of ratifications in each of the 25 member states have taken place. Two 'Hungary and Lithuania' have already ratified with parliamentary majorities. Nine member states are planning to hold referenda.
Spain is expected to vote 'Yes' on 20th February as is Luxembourg on 10th of July. The latest opinion polls show a clear majority of French will vote in favour in a referendum expected before summer. The Dutch and Portuguese will also vote in the first half of this year.
The Brits, who are most likely to reject the Treaty of all the member states are scheduled to vote at the beginning of next year, as are the Danes, who are also likely to say 'No'. The result in Poland and Ireland 'where no date has been set yet for the referendum' is expected to be tight.
The Constitution contains no provisions for a negative result which many fear would result in the Union entering an impasse. However, there is a declaration in the annex of the treaty which states that, 'if, two years after the signature of the Treaty ... four fifths of the Member States have ratified it and one or more Member States have encountered difficulties in proceeding with ratification, the matter will be referred to the European Council'
EU Council emergency meeting on Tsunami
The EU’s Council of Ministers held an extra-ordinary meeting to discuss the 26 December Tsunami. EU counties and the EC have raised 1.5bn Euro.