Key pharmacovigilance stakeholders' experiences of direct patient reporting of adverse drug reactions and their prospects of future development in the European Union.

PubMed

Inácio, P; Cavaco, A; Allan, E; Airaksinen, M

2018-02-01

In the European Union (EU), legislation allows patients to directly report adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to competent authorities. Five years after its implementation, patient reporting is not equal in all countries. This study aimed to explore key stakeholders' perceptions of patient reporting in four EU countries. Qualitative study design. Twelve representatives from national pharmacovigilance centres and/or authorities as well as national pharmaceutical industry bodies in four EU countries participated in the study. Supranational organizations were also included. Data collection was via face-semi-structured interviews. Inductive content analysis was performed thereafter, applying principles of risk management as a theoretical framework. Four themes (attitudes and beliefs, system maturation factors, regulatory improvements, and cultural shifts) emerged, conceptually interconnected. Participants from countries introducing patient reporting recently expressed a negative attitude. Participants highlighted the need for additional resources, both human and financial, to address patient reporting and associated advantages. The findings identified perceived barriers and facilitators of patient reporting. The involvement of patients, use of information, and dissemination of patient reporting are far from optimal. A better integration of the work by EU regulatory authorities is recommended. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The EU sustainable energy policy indicators framework.

PubMed

Streimikiene, Dalia; Sivickas, Gintautas

2008-11-01

The article deals with indicators framework to monitor implementation of the main EU (European Union) directives and other policy documents targeting sustainable energy development. The main EU directives which have impact on sustainable energy development are directives promoting energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, directives implementing greenhouse gas mitigation and atmospheric pollution reduction policies and other policy documents and strategies targeting energy sector. Promotion of use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency improvements are among priorities of EU energy policy because the use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency improvements has positive impact on energy security and climate change mitigation. The framework of indicators can be developed to establish the main targets set by EU energy and environmental policies allowing to connect indicators via chain of mutual impacts and to define policies and measures necessary to achieve established targets based on assessment of their impact on the targeted indicators representing sustainable energy development aims. The article discusses the application of indicators framework for EU sustainable energy policy analysis and presents the case study of this policy tool application for Baltic States. The article also discusses the use of biomass in Baltic States and future considerations in this field.

The European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics Policy Statement No. 6.1: Recommended Guidelines on National Registration Schemes for Medical Physicists.

PubMed

Christofides, Stelios; Isidoro, Jorge; Pesznyak, Csilla; Bumbure, Lada; Cremers, Florian; Schmidt, Werner F O

2016-01-01

This EFOMP Policy Statement is an update of Policy Statement No. 6 first published in 1994. The present version takes into account the European Union Parliament and Council Directive 2013/55/EU that amends Directive 2005/36/EU on the recognition of professional qualifications and the European Union Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM laying down the basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation. The European Commission Radiation Protection Report No. 174, Guidelines on Medical Physics Expert and the EFOMP Policy Statement No. 12.1, Recommendations on Medical Physics Education and Training in Europe 2014, are also taken into consideration. The EFOMP National Member Organisations are encouraged to update their Medical Physics registration schemes where these exist or to develop registration schemes taking into account the present version of this EFOMP Policy Statement (Policy Statement No. 6.1"Recommended Guidelines on National Registration Schemes for Medical Physicists"). Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Protecting Animals and Enabling Research in the European Union: An Overview of Development and Implementation of Directive 2010/63/EU.

PubMed

Olsson, I Anna S; Silva, Sandra Pinto da; Townend, David; Sandøe, Peter

2016-05-01

In 1986, European Directive 86/609/EEC, regulating the use of animals in research, was one of the first examples of common legislation to set standards for animal protection across the Member States of the former European Economic Community, now the European Union, with the aim of securing a level European playing field. Starting in 2002, a process of revising European animal experimentation legislation was undertaken, with one of its key aims being to ensure high standards of welfare for laboratory animals across Europe. This resulted in Directive 2010/63/EU, which has regulated this activity in Europe since 2013. Since this is a European Union Directive, transposition into national legislation is a necessary and important part of the implementation of the new legislation. This paper gives an overview of the transposition process followed by an analysis of the potential to reach the different objectives of the directive, particularly with a focus on securing the same high standards of animal protection across member countries. The analysis focuses on three separate issues: (1) minimum standards for laboratory animal housing and care, (2) restrictions on the use of certain animal species, and (3) project review and authorization. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mutatis Mutandis? The Court of Justice of the European Union Rules that Member States May Be Allowed to Impose Non-Resident Student Quotas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, 2010

2010-01-01

Earlier this month, the Court of Justice of the European Union (the Court), ruled that European Union (EU) member states can impose non-resident student quotas in certain circumstances. The Court, whose job is to ensure that all EU member states interpret and apply EU legislation in the same way, recently made the ruling in response to a…

Underlying Paradox in the European Union's Multilingualism Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Fern L.

2013-01-01

The European Union (EU) has developed comprehensive policies in recent years to promote multilingualism. In this article, major EU policy statements on multilingualism are analyzed to demonstrate how their underlying language ideology produces paradox by both encouraging multilingualism and regulating its definition within the EU. The first…

Temporal bone bank: complying with European Union directives on human tissue and cells.

PubMed

Van Rompaey, Vincent; Vandamme, Wouter; Muylle, Ludo; Van de Heyning, Paul H

2012-06-01

Availability of allograft tympano-ossicular systems (ATOS) provides unique reconstructive capabilities, allowing more radical removal of middle ear pathology. To provide ATOS, the University of Antwerp Temporal Bone Bank (UATB) was established in 1988. ATOS use was stopped in many countries because of safety issues concerning human tissue transplantation. Our objective was to maintain an ATOS tissue bank complying with European Union (EU) directives on human tissues and cells. The guidelines of the Belgian Superior Health Council, including EU directive requirements, were rigorously applied to UATB infrastructure, workflow protocols and activity. Workflow protocols were updated and an internal audit was performed to check and improve consistency with established quality systems and changing legislations. The Belgian Federal Agency of Medicines and Health Products performed an inspection to examine compliance with national legislatives and EU directives on human tissues and cells. A sample of important procedures was meticulously examined in its workflow setting next to assessment of the infrastructure and personnel. Results are reported on infrastructure, personnel, administrative workflow, procurement, preparation, processing, distribution, internal audit and inspection by the competent authority. Donors procured: 2006, 93 (45.1%); 2007, 64 (20.6%); 2008, 56 (13.1%); 2009, 79 (6.9%). The UATB was approved by the Minister of Health without critical or important shortcomings. The Ministry accords registration each time for 2 years. An ATOS tissue bank complying with EU regulations on human allografts is feasible and critical to assure that the patient receives tissue, which is safe, individually checked and prepared in a suitable environment.

Implementation of direct LSC method for diesel samples on the fuel market.

PubMed

Krištof, Romana; Hirsch, Marko; Kožar Logar, Jasmina

2014-11-01

The European Union develops common EU policy and strategy on biofuels and sustainable bio-economy through several documents. The encouragement of biofuel's consumption is therefore the obligation of each EU member state. The situation in Slovenian fuel market is presented and compared with other EU countries in the frame of prescribed values from EU directives. Diesel is the most common fuel for transportation needs in Slovenia. The study was therefore performed on diesel. The sampling net was determined in accordance with the fuel consumption statistics of the country. 75 Sampling points were located on different types of roads. The quantity of bio-component in diesel samples was determined by direct LSC method through measurement of C-14 content. The measured values were in the range from 0 up to nearly 6 mass percentage of bio-component in fuel. The method has proved to be appropriate, suitable and effective for studies on the real fuel market. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Health policy in the European Union: impact on the Spanish health system].

PubMed

Guimarães, Luisa; Freire, José-Manuel

2007-01-01

This text reviews the impact of European integration on the health sector (public health and health services) by studying European Union (EU) institutions, functioning, and responsibilities through the literature, documents, and authors' observations. The EU does not have direct health responsibilities, but Community legislation has important repercussions on all member states' health policies. This influence affects health protection issues, consumer safety, regulation of medicines and medical devices, mutual recognition of professional qualifications, freedom of movement for health professionals and patients, public contracts and bidding, research, etc. The evolution of EU health policy shows a progressive reinforcement of responsibilities consistent with the objective of reaching a high level of health protection, which in turn affects other European policies. The impact of European integration on the Spanish health system is analyzed as a case study, and key aspects and present and future challenges are highlighted. Lessons are also drawn for regional integration processes to foster equity and efficiency in health.

Emission of biocides from hospitals: comparing current survey results with European Union default values.

PubMed

Tluczkiewicz, Inga; Bitsch, Annette; Hahn, Stefan; Hahn, Torsten

2010-04-01

Under the European Union (EU) Biocidal Products Directive 98/8/EC, comprehensive evaluations on substances of the Third Priority List were conducted until 31 July 2007. This list includes, among other categories, disinfectants for human hygiene (e.g., skin and surface disinfection). For environmental exposure assessment of biocides, the EU emission scenarios apply. Currently available default values for disinfectants are based on consumption data from not more than 8 hospitals and were originally assembled for other purposes. To revalidate these default values, a survey on annual consumption data was performed in 27 German hospitals. These data were analyzed to provide consumption data per bed and day and per nurse and day for particular categories of active ingredients and were compared with default values from the EU emission scenario documents. Although several deviations were detected, an overall acceptable correspondence between Emission Scenario Documents default values and the current survey data was found. (c) 2009 SETAC

European Union Policies in Education and Training: The Lisbon Agenda as a Turning Point?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ertl, Hubert

2006-01-01

This paper investigates European Union (EU) education and training policies in the light of the evolving Lisbon agenda on improving the competitiveness of the EU. It examines the ways in which EU policies have developed over time, focusing on their legal basis, underlying principles, main forms of implementation and their impact on national…

Costs of tuberculosis disease in the European Union: a systematic analysis and cost calculation.

PubMed

Diel, Roland; Vandeputte, Joris; de Vries, Gerard; Stillo, Jonathan; Wanlin, Maryse; Nienhaus, Albert

2014-02-01

Without better vaccines it is unlikely that tuberculosis (TB) will ever be eliminated. An investment of ∼ €560 million is considered necessary to develop a new, effective vaccine in the European Union (EU). However, less is known about the costs of TB disease in the EU. We performed a systematic review of literature and institutional websites addressing the 27 EU members to summarise cost data. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane bibliographies for relevant articles. Combining direct and indirect costs, we arrived at an average per-TB case costs in the original EU-15 states plus Cyprus, Malta and Slovenia of €10 282 for drug-susceptible TB, €57 213 for multidrug resistant (MDR)-TB and €170 744 for extensively drug resistant (XDR)-TB. In the remaining new EU states, costs amounted to €3427 for drug-susceptible TB and €24 166 for MDR-TB/XDR-TB. For the 70 340 susceptible TB cases, 1488 MDR-TB and 136 XDR-TB cases notified in 2011 costs of €536 890 315 accumulated in 2012. In the same year, the 103 104 disability-adjusted life years caused by these cases, when stated in monetary terms, amounted to a total of €5 361 408 000. Thus, the resulting economic burden of TB in the EU clearly outweighs the cost of investing in more efficient vaccines against TB.

One common way - The strategic and methodological influence on environmental planning across Europe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiricka, Alexandra, E-mail: alexandra.jiricka@boku.ac.a; Proebstl, Ulrike, E-mail: ulrike.proebstl@boku.ac.a

In the last decades the European Union exerted influence on precautionary environmental planning by the establishment of several Directives. The most relevant were the Habitat-Directive, the EIA-Directive, the SEA-Directive and the Water Framework Directive. Comparing these EU policies in the area of environmental precaution it becomes obvious that there is a lot of common ground. Thus, the conclusion seems likely that the European Union, in doing so, has intended to establish general planning concepts through introducing several methodological steps indicated by the regulations. The goal of this article is firstly to point out, which are the common planning principles, convertedmore » by methodological elements and secondly examine the consideration of these planning concepts by the implementation and application in the member states. In this context it is analysed whether the connections and divergences between the directives lead to significant differences in the implementation process. To this aim the directives are shortly introduced and significant steps of the processes regulated by them are outlined. In the second steps the national legal implementation in the Alpine states and its consequences for the practical application are discussed. The results show a heterogeneous application of the EU principles. Within the comparative view on the four directives influence and causalities between the national implementation and the practical application were identified, which can be simplified as four types. Since a coherent strategic and methodological concept for improving environmental precaution planning from part of the EU is noticeable, more unity and comparability within the implementation is desirable, particularly in areas with comparable habitats such as the alpine space. Beyond this the trade-off between the directives poses an important task for the future.« less

National Differences in Requirements for Ethical and Competent Authority Approval for a Multinational Vaccine Trial under the EU Directive 2001/20/EC

PubMed Central

van Doorn, Eva; Hak, Eelko; Wilffert, Bob

2015-01-01

Obtaining approval for a multinational vaccine trial from an ethics committee and the national competent authority of different Member States of the European Union (EU) is challenging under clinical trial Directive 2001/20/EC because of the differences in the implementation of the directive in national laws of Member States. In this review the national differences in requirements for ethical and competent authority approval are illustrated. The national ethical and competent authority review procedures in Finland, Hungary, The Netherlands, Norway and Slovenia are described under the EU trial directive after discussing the provisions of the trial directive related to both review procedures. The review illustrates the differences between the countries in the documents that have to be submitted for the review procedures, the submission procedures and the language requirements of the documents, the organization of the ethics committees and the role of the competent authority in the approval procedure. PMID:26343188

National Differences in Requirements for Ethical and Competent Authority Approval for a Multinational Vaccine Trial under the EU Directive 2001/20/EC.

PubMed

van Doorn, Eva; Hak, Eelko; Wilffert, Bob

2015-04-14

Obtaining approval for a multinational vaccine trial from an ethics committee and the national competent authority of different Member States of the European Union (EU) is challenging under clinical trial Directive 2001/20/EC because of the differences in the implementation of the directive in national laws of Member States. In this review the national differences in requirements for ethical and competent authority approval are illustrated. The national ethical and competent authority review procedures in Finland, Hungary, The Netherlands, Norway and Slovenia are described under the EU trial directive after discussing the provisions of the trial directive related to both review procedures. The review illustrates the differences between the countries in the documents that have to be submitted for the review procedures, the submission procedures and the language requirements of the documents, the organization of the ethics committees and the role of the competent authority in the approval procedure.

Twentieth anniversary of the European Union health mandate: taking stock of perceived achievements, failures and missed opportunities - a qualitative study.

PubMed

Rosenkötter, Nicole; Clemens, Timo; Sørensen, Kristine; Brand, Helmut

2013-11-14

The European Union (EU) health mandate was initially defined in the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. The twentieth anniversary of the Treaty offers a unique opportunity to take stock of EU health actions by giving an overview of influential public health related EU-level policy outputs and a summary of policy outputs or actions perceived as an achievement, a failure or a missed opportunity. Semi-structured expert interviews (N = 20) were conducted focusing on EU-level actions that were relevant for health. Respondents were asked to name EU policies or actions that they perceived as an achievement, a failure or a missed opportunity. A directed content analysis approach was used to identify expert perceptions on achievements, failures and missed opportunities in the interviews. Additionally, a nominal group technique was applied to identify influential and public health relevant EU-level policy outputs. The ranking of influential policy outputs resulted in top positions of adjudications and legislations, agencies, European Commission (EC) programmes and strategies, official networks, cooperative structures and exchange efforts, the work on health determinants and uptake of scientific knowledge. The assessment of EU health policies as being an achievement, a failure or a missed opportunity was often characterized by diverging respondent views. Recurring topics that emerged were the Directorate General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO), EU agencies, life style factors, internal market provisions as well as the EU Directive on patients' rights in cross-border healthcare. Among these recurring topics, expert perceptions on the establishment of DG SANCO, EU public health agencies, and successes in tobacco control were dominated by aspects of achievements. The implementation status of the Health in All Policy approach was perceived as a missed opportunity. When comparing the emerging themes from the interviews conducted with the responsibilities defined in the EU health mandate, one can identify that these responsibilities were only partly fulfilled or acknowledged by the respondents. In general, the EU is a recognized public health player in Europe which over the past two decades, has begun to develop competencies in supporting, coordinating and supplementing member state health actions. However, the assurance of health protection in other European policies seems to require further development.

Twentieth anniversary of the European Union health mandate: taking stock of perceived achievements, failures and missed opportunities – a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The European Union (EU) health mandate was initially defined in the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. The twentieth anniversary of the Treaty offers a unique opportunity to take stock of EU health actions by giving an overview of influential public health related EU-level policy outputs and a summary of policy outputs or actions perceived as an achievement, a failure or a missed opportunity. Methods Semi-structured expert interviews (N = 20) were conducted focusing on EU-level actions that were relevant for health. Respondents were asked to name EU policies or actions that they perceived as an achievement, a failure or a missed opportunity. A directed content analysis approach was used to identify expert perceptions on achievements, failures and missed opportunities in the interviews. Additionally, a nominal group technique was applied to identify influential and public health relevant EU-level policy outputs. Results The ranking of influential policy outputs resulted in top positions of adjudications and legislations, agencies, European Commission (EC) programmes and strategies, official networks, cooperative structures and exchange efforts, the work on health determinants and uptake of scientific knowledge. The assessment of EU health policies as being an achievement, a failure or a missed opportunity was often characterized by diverging respondent views. Recurring topics that emerged were the Directorate General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO), EU agencies, life style factors, internal market provisions as well as the EU Directive on patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare. Among these recurring topics, expert perceptions on the establishment of DG SANCO, EU public health agencies, and successes in tobacco control were dominated by aspects of achievements. The implementation status of the Health in All Policy approach was perceived as a missed opportunity. Conclusions When comparing the emerging themes from the interviews conducted with the responsibilities defined in the EU health mandate, one can identify that these responsibilities were only partly fulfilled or acknowledged by the respondents. In general, the EU is a recognized public health player in Europe which over the past two decades, has begun to develop competencies in supporting, coordinating and supplementing member state health actions. However, the assurance of health protection in other European policies seems to require further development. PMID:24225055

Which lessons can we learn from the European Union legal framework of medicines for the regulation of direct-to-consumer genetic tests?

PubMed

van Hellemondt, Rachèl; Hendriks, Aart; Breuning, Martijn

2012-01-01

The legal framework of the European Union (EU) for regulating access to and supply of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests is very liberal compared to the legal and regulatory framework for (internet) medicines. Nevertheless, both health related products can cause equally serious damage to the well being of individuals. In this contribution we examine whether the legal framework of the EU for the safety and responsible use of (internet) medicines could be an example for regulating access to and supply of DTC genetic tests. The EU laws governing medicines can, notwithstanding their shortcomings, serve as an example for (central) authorising the marketing of DTC genetic tests on the internal market in accordance with strict criteria regarding predictive value and clinical usefulness. Furthermore, a legal framework controlling DTC genetic tests also should introduce system supervision as well as quality criteria with respect to the information to be provided to consumers in order to enhance health protection. However, DTC genetic tests purchased through online ordering are difficult to supervise by any agency. Adequately protecting individuals against questionable testing kits calls for international vigilance and comprehensive measures by the international community. For Europe, it is important to rank the regulation of DTC genetic tests on the European regulatory agenda.

Compensation of research-related injuries in the European Union.

PubMed

Avilds, Miguelangel Ramiro

2014-12-01

The planned reform of the Clinical Trials Directive has re-opened the debate over how to implement and interpret research-related injuries regulation. In the European Union (EU), clinical trials are currently regulated by Directive 2001/20/EC, which establishes the provision of mandatory insurance before clinical trials commence but is silent on the system of liability. The proposed new Regulation will impact biomedical research assurance in all EU Member States because it points to insurance costs as being one of the causes of the fall in the number of clinical trials carried out in the EU. Despite the adoption of a risk-balance approach, the proposed new Regulation does not include a no-fault compensation system to protect subjects participating in clinical trials. An adequate protection of the rights and wellbeing of trial subjects would require not only mandatory insurance for clinical trials but also a no-fault compensation system. The new regulation should include a general clause requiring mandatory insurance and establishing liability insurance based on no-fault compensation; an exception clause, enabling the performance of clinical trials without insurance in the case of low-risk interventions or non-commercial clinical trials; and an exclusion clause, excluding compensation when there is no causal connection between injuries and clinical trial.

The management of household hazardous waste in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Slack, R J; Gronow, J R; Voulvoulis, N

2009-01-01

Waste legislation in the United Kingdom (UK) implements European Union (EU) Directives and Regulations. However, the term used to refer to hazardous waste generated in household or municipal situations, household hazardous waste (HHW), does not occur in UK, or EU, legislation. The EU's Hazardous Waste Directive and European Waste Catalogue are the principal legislation influencing HHW, although the waste categories described are difficult to interpret. Other legislation also have impacts on HHW definition and disposal, some of which will alter current HHW disposal practices, leading to a variety of potential consequences. This paper discusses the issues affecting the management of HHW in the UK, including the apparent absence of a HHW-specific regulatory structure. Policy and regulatory measures that influence HHW management before disposal and after disposal are considered, with particular emphasis placed on disposal to landfill.

Advertising of medical devices: foreign experience and Ukrainian practice.

PubMed

Pashkov, Vitalii; Harkusha, Andrii; Bytiak, Oleksii

Chosen European foreign policy vector for Ukraine establishes its obligation to enforce the process of adaptation of the EU law regulations in the internal legal policy. The approximation of Ukrainian law to the European Union (EU) "acquis communautaire" is not only the instrument for deepening our economic cooperation with the European Union, but also the important measure to enhance further development of Ukraine in general. National legislation, which regulate advertising and promotion of medical devices (MD), is not an exception. Some key points on legal regulation of abovementioned sphere is a base of this study. Ukrainian legislation, European Union`s Law Acts, EU's member-states law, WHO Acts and Recommendations, European Medical Technology Industry Association (EUCOMED) Acts. Article is based on dialectical, comparative, analytic, synthetic and comprehensive research methods. In accordance with Ukrainian legislation, there is no special law that concerns advertising on MD in Ukraine, this sphere is regulated by general law that named ≪About advertisement≫, but it doesn't take into account even main characteristics of such a special object as medical devices (MD). Moreover, the law ≪About advertisement≫ contain discrepancies in terms that are used, these contradictions, in our opinion, must be eliminated by appropriate law reforms. The advertising and promotion of MD in EU is regulated by a combination of EU and national legislation of EU Member States, national advertising and promotion of MD are not harmonized with the EU MDD for now, resulting in a fragmented legal landscape that differs from one EU Member State to the other. Practice of adopting different codes and guides that regulate advertising, including advertising of MD, is widespread in EU and EU Member States and thus must be used in Ukraine with appropriate reformation of national law.

Dietary Supplements: Foods, Medicines, or Both? A Controversial Designation with Unspecific Legislation.

PubMed

Pereira, Carla; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, Isabel C F R

2017-01-01

Dietary supplements have been widely used among the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) population not only as a form of nutrition but also for medicinal purposes. Still, the legislation regulating these supplements remains unclear due to the fact that they can be considered as foodstuffs and/or medicinal products depending on various factors. The present review article intends to provide information concerning the variations on the definition of dietary supplements, the allowable substances on it, as well as the marketing and labelling requirements among the USA and the EU legislation. In fact, several discrepancies can be found between regulations in the USA (mainly regulated by the Food and Drugs Administration) and in the EU (principally regulated by the Food Supplements Directive or by the Directive 2001/83/EC), and even between the different Member States of the EU, with the main differences observed in new products marketing requirements. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Diversity and dynamics of patient cost-sharing for physicians' and hospital services in the 27 European Union countries.

PubMed

Tambor, Marzena; Pavlova, Milena; Woch, Piotr; Groot, Wim

2011-10-01

During the past decades, many governments have introduced patient cost-sharing in their public health-care system. This trend in health-care reforms affected the European Union (EU) member states as well. This article presents a review of patient cost-sharing for health-care services in the 27 EU countries, and discusses directions for their improvement. Data are collected based on a review of international data bases, national laws and regulations, as well as scientific and policy reports. The analysis presents a combination of qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Patient cost-sharing arrangements in the EU have been changing considerably over the past two decades (mostly being extended) and are quite diverse at present. There is a relation between patient cost-sharing arrangements and some characteristics of the health-care system in a country. In a few EU countries, a mix of formal and informal charges exists, which creates a double financial burden for health-care consumers. The adequacy of patient cost-sharing arrangements in EU countries needs to be reconsidered. Most importantly, it is essential to deal with informal patient payments (where applicable) and to assure adequate exemption mechanisms to diminish the adverse equity effects of patient cost-sharing. A close communication with the public is needed to clarify the objectives and content of a patient payment policy in a country.

First proficiency testing to evaluate the ability of European Union National Reference Laboratories to detect staphylococcal enterotoxins in milk products.

PubMed

Hennekinne, Jacques-Antoine; Gohier, Martine; Maire, Tiphaine; Lapeyre, Christiane; Lombard, Bertrand; Dragacci, Sylviane

2003-01-01

The European Commission has designed a network of European Union-National Reference Laboratories (EU-NRLs), coordinated by a Community Reference Laboratory (CRL), for control of hygiene of milk and milk products (Council Directive 92/46/ECC). As a common contaminant of milk and milk products such as cheese, staphylococcal enterotoxins are often involved in human outbreaks and should be monitored regularly. The main tasks of the EU-CRLs were to select and transfer to the EU-NRLs a reference method for detection of enterotoxins, and to set up proficiency testing to evaluate the competency of the European laboratory network. The first interlaboratory exercise was performed on samples of freeze-dried cheese inoculated with 2 levels of staphylococcal enterotoxins (0.1 and 0.25 ng/g) and on an uninoculated control. These levels were chosen considering the EU regulation for staphylococcal enterotoxins in milk and milk products and the limit of detection of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test recommended in the reference method. The trial was conducted according to the recommendations of ISO Guide 43. Results produced by laboratories were compiled and compared through statistical analysis. Except for data from 2 laboratories for the uninoculated control and cheese inoculated at 0.1 ng/g, all laboratories produced satisfactory results, showing the ability of the EU-NRL network to monitor the enterotoxin contaminant.

SANIST: optimization of a technology for compound identification based on the European Union directive with applications in forensic, pharmaceutical and food analyses.

PubMed

Cristoni, Simone; Dusi, Guglielmo; Brambilla, Paolo; Albini, Adriana; Conti, Matteo; Brambilla, Maura; Bruno, Antonino; Di Gaudio, Francesca; Ferlin, Luca; Tazzari, Valeria; Mengozzi, Silvia; Barera, Simone; Sialer, Carlos; Trenti, Tommaso; Cantu, Marco; Rossi Bernardi, Luigi; Noonan, Douglas M

2017-01-01

Electrospray Ionization and collision induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry are usually employed to obtain compound identification through a mass spectra match. Different algorithms have been developed for this purpose (for example the nist match algorithm). These approaches compare the tandem mass spectra of the unknown analyte with the tandem mass spectra spectra of known compounds inserted in a database. The compounds are usually identified on the basis of spectral match value associated with a probability of recognition. However, this approach is not usually applied to multiple reaction monitoring transition spectra achieved by means of triple quadrupole apparatus, mainly due to the lack of a transition spectra database. The Surface Activated Chemical Ionization-Electrospray-NIST Bayesian model database search (SANIST) platform has been recently developed for new potential metabolite biomarker discovery, to confirm their identity and to use them for clinical and diagnostic applications. Here, we present an improved version of the SANIST platform that extends its application to forensic, pharmaceutical, and food analysis studies, where the compound identification rules are strict. The European Union (EU) has set directives for compound identification (EU directive 2002/657/EC). We have applied the SANIST method to identification of 11-nor-9-carboxytetrahydro-cannabinol in urine samples (an example of a forensic application), circulating levels of the immunosuppressive drug tacrolimus in blood (an example of a pharmaceutical application) and glyphosate in fruit juice (an example of a food analysis application) that meet the EU directive requirements. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Distance Training in the European Union. ZIFF Papiere 96.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keegan, Desmond

A study examined distance training in the European Union (EU) countries. First, recent literature on the following topics was reviewed: technology-supported learning, flexible and distance learning, development of open distance learning, and teleconferencing and distance learning. Next, enrollments and trends in distance learning in the EU as a…

The emerging mental health strategy of the European Union: a multi-level work-in-progress.

PubMed

Kelly, Brendan D

2008-01-01

Policy-making in the European Union (EU) is a complex process that can appear impenetrable and opaque. This paper examines the ongoing process of mental health policy-making in the EU. In 2005, the Health and Consumer Protectorate Director-General of the European Commission published a Green Paper and launched a consultation process aimed at mental health service-users, advocates, providers, business, social services and governments. While there were varying levels of participation between member states, a range of trans-national, national and infra-national actors made contributions. Based on these consultations, a 'Consultative Platform' was created and made 10 recommendations centered on the principles of partnership; establishing policy competencies; integrating mental health into national policies; involving stakeholders; and protecting human rights. This ongoing process illustrates many features of EU policy-making: (a) the European Commission generates an initiative; (b) policy focuses on EU standardization, with member states remaining central actors in service-delivery; (c) policy focuses on social inclusion; (d) the European Commission coordinates diverse networks of actors; and (e) there is 'multi-level' involvement, with direct interaction between trans-national, national and infra-national actors. An enhanced focus on epidemiological data and 'evidence-based policy' would increase rigor and focus further attention on this relatively neglected policy area.

[Cross-border healthcare in European Union and Czech Republic].

PubMed

Barták, Miroslav; Rogalewicz, Vladimír; Jílková, Jiřina; Jeřábková, Silvie

Currently, the cross-border healthcare still represents a marginal part of the Czech healthcare system's performance, though. Compared to the total healthcare expenditures in the Czech Republic that accounted for CZK 299.9 billion in 2014, the costs of the treatment provided to Czech patients abroad constitute mere 0.27%, and the (subsequently refunded) costs of the treatment provided to foreign patients in the Czech Republic 0.24%.Although data on changes in the volume and reimbursements of healthcare due to the Directive 2011/24/EU have not been published yet, we can expect rather evolutionary than revolutionary development of cross-border healthcare volumes. Taking into account all available data, we can conclude that the cross-border healthcare, as specified by the directive currently in force, is important in our conditions above all in relation to our neighbours, i. e. Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Poland.Key words: cross-border healthcare, patient mobility, international reimbursements EU health policy, Directive 2011/24/EU.

Comparison of China's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) law with the European Union (EU) EIA Directive.

PubMed

Chen, Qiaoling; Zhang, Yuanzhi; Ekroos, Ari

2007-09-01

In this paper, we first review the development of China's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) system in the past 30 years. Then we compare the framework and operational procedures of China's new EIA law with those of the EU EIA Directive. We also compare public participation, as well as sanctions and control in the two EIA systems. In addition, we identify where the processes in both EIA systems are similar or different from one another. By comparison, we noted that there are at least three obvious weaknesses in China's EIA system: (1) the application of new models for EIA legislation; (2) the improvement of EIA guidance and education; and (3) the enhancement of public participation in EIA process. Our study indicates that these three major shortcomings should be overcome and improved in China's EIA system, when compared with the EU EIA system.

Does economic, financial and institutional developments matter for environmental quality? A comparative analysis of EU and MEA countries.

PubMed

Abid, Mehdi

2017-03-01

The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) with a sample of 58 MEA (Middle East & African) and 41 EU (European Union) countries for the period 1990 to 2011. The empirical analysis is carried out using the GMM-system method to solve the problem of endogenous variables. We focused on direct and indirect effects of institutional quality (through the efficiency of public expenditure, financial development, trade openness and foreign direct investment) and the income-emission relationship. We found a monotonically increasing relationship between CO 2 emissions and GDP in both MEA and EU regions. The policy implication is clear: in order to have sustainable positive economic performance and to reduce carbon dioxide emission in the country at the same time, policy makers should regulate and enhance the role and efficiency of domestic institutions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fuel switching in the electricity sector under the EU ETS: Review and prospective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Delarue, E.; Voorspools, K.; D'haeseleer, W.

2008-06-15

The European Union has implemented the European Union emission trading scheme (EU ETS) as an instrument to facilitate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission abatement stipulated in the Kyoto protocol. Empirical data show that in the early stages of the EU ETS, the value of a ton of CO{sub 2} has already led to emission abatement through switching from coal to gas in the European electric power sector. In the second part of this paper, an electricity generation simulation model is used to perform simulations on the switching behavior in both the first and the second trading periods of the EU ETS.more » In 2005, the reduction in GHG emissions in the electric power sector due to EU ETS is estimated close to 88 Mton. For the second trading period, a European Union allowance (EUA) price dependent GHG reduction curve has been determined. The obtained switching potential turns out to be significant, up to 300 Mton/year, at sufficiently high EUA prices.« less

The European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine syllabus for postgraduate education and training for Specialists in Laboratory Medicine: version 5 - 2018.

PubMed

Jassam, Nuthar; Lake, Jennifer; Dabrowska, Milena; Queralto, Jose; Rizos, Demetrios; Lichtinghagen, Ralf; Baum, Hannsjörg; Ceriotti, Ferruccio; O'Mullane, John; Homšak, Evgenija; Charilaou, Charis; Ohlson, Mats; Rako, Ivana; Vitkus, Dalius; Kovac, Gustav; Verschuure, Pauline; Racek, Jaroslav; Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen; Wieringa, Gilbert

2018-06-05

Although laboratory medicine practise varies across the European Union's (EU) member states, the extent of overlap in scope is such that a common syllabus describing the education and training associated with high-quality, specialist practise can be identified. In turn, such a syllabus can help define the common set of skills, knowledge and competence in a Common Training Framework (CTF) for non-medical Specialists in Laboratory Medicine under EU Directive 2013/55/EU (The recognition of Professional Qualifications). In meeting the requirements of the directive's CTF patient safety is particularly enhanced when specialists seek to capitalise on opportunities for free professional migration across EU borders. In updating the fourth syllabus, the fifth expands on individual discipline requirements, new analytical techniques and use of statistics. An outline structure for a training programme is proposed together with expected responsibilities of trainees and trainers; reference is provided to a trainee's log book. In updating the syllabus, it continues to support national programmes and the aims of EU Directive 2013/55/EU in providing safeguards to professional mobility across European borders at a time when the demand for highly qualified professionals is increasing in the face of a disparity in their distribution across Europe. In support of achieving a CTF, the syllabus represents EFLM's position statement for the education and training that underpins the framework.

Naval War College Review. Volume 64, Number 1, Winter 2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

2010, a Chinese delegation headed by Major General Li Ning, the defense counselor for the Chinese mission to the European Union , visited the...headquarters of European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia in Djibouti.52 Djibouti would be an excellent choice as a place for the PLAN, and it should...France’s Base Aérienne 188 is home to the headquarters of EU NAVFOR Somalia/Operation ATALANTA, the European Union naval force tasked with

Final report of coordination and cooperation with the European Union on embankment failure analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There has been an emphasis in the European Union (EU) community on the investigation of extreme flood processes and the uncertainties related to these processes. Over a 3-year period, the EU and the U.S. dam safety community (1) coordinated their efforts and collected information needed to integrate...

Latvia Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2014-01-01

Latvia, which regained its independence from Soviet Union in 1991 and joined the European Union (EU) in 2004, is not a notable energy producer or consumer. The country produced 30 trillion British thermal units (Btus) and consumed 163 trillion Btus of total energy in 2011, which places it in the bottom five among the EU countries on both measures.

Data Resource Profile: The European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC).

PubMed

Arora, Vishal S; Karanikolos, Marina; Clair, Amy; Reeves, Aaron; Stuckler, David; McKee, Martin

2015-04-01

Social and economic policies are inextricably linked with population health outcomes in Europe, yet few datasets are able to fully explore and compare this relationship across European countries. The European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) survey aims to address this gap using microdata on income, living conditions and health. EU-SILC contains both cross-sectional and longitudinal elements, with nationally representative samples of individuals 16 years and older in 28 European Union member states as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Data collection began in 2003 in Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Greece, Luxembourg and Austria, with subsequent expansion across Europe. By 2011, all 28 EU member states, plus three others, were included in the dataset. Although EU-SILC is administered by Eurostat, the data are output-harmonized so that countries are required to collect specified data items but are free to determine sampling strategies for data collection purposes. EU-SILC covers approximately 500,000 European residents for its cross-sectional survey annually. Whereas aggregated data from EU-SILC are publicly available [http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/income-and-living-conditions/data/main-tables], microdata are only available to research organizations subject to approval by Eurostat. Please refer to [http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/microdata/eu_silc] for further information regarding microdata access. © The Author 2015; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

[European Union regulatory and quality requirements for botanical drugs and their implications for Chinese herbal medicinal products development].

PubMed

Zhu, You-Ping

2017-06-01

This paper introduces regulatory pathways and characteristic quality requirements for marketing authorization of herbal medicinal products in the European Union（EU）, and the legal status and applications of "European Union list of herbal substances, preparations and combinations" and "European Union herbal monographs". Also introduced are Chinese herbs that have been granted the EU list entry, those with EU herbal monographs, and registered EU traditional herbal medicinal products with Chinese herbs as active ingredients. Special attention is paid to the technical details of three authorized EU herbal medicinal products (Veregen, Sativex and Episalvan) in comparison with Andrographis paniculata extract HMPL-004 that failed the phase Ⅲ clinical trial for ulcerative colitis. The paper further emphasizes the importance of enriching active fractions of herbal extracts and taking regulatory and quality considerations into account in early stage of botanical drug development. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Marine conservation and accession: the future for the Croatian Adriatic.

PubMed

Mackelworth, Peter; Holcer, Draško; Jovanović, Jelena; Fortuna, Caterina

2011-04-01

The European Union (EU) is the world's largest trading bloc and the most influential supra-national organisation in the region. The EU has been the goal for many eastern European States, for Croatia accession remains a priority and underpins many of its national policies. However, entry into the EU requires certain commitments and concessions. In October 2003 the Croatian parliament declared an ecological and fisheries protection zone in the Adriatic. Under pressure the zone was suspended, finally entering into force in March 2008 exempting EU States. There are other marine conflicts between Croatia and the EU, particularly the contested maritime border with Slovenia, and the development of the Croatian fishing fleet in opposition to the Common Fisheries Policy. Conversely, attempts to harmonise Croatian Nature Protection with the EU Habitats Directive, facilitated by pre-accession funding, has galvanised conservation policy. Since 2005 two marine protected areas have been declared, significantly increasing the marine ecosystem under protection. Finally, the development of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive is the latest EU attempt to integrate environmental policy in the maritime realm. This will have an effect not only on member States but neighbouring countries. For marine nature protection to be effective in the region the Adriatic Sea needs to be viewed as a mutually important shared and limited resource not a bargaining chip. Negotiations of the EU and Croatia have been watched closely by the other Balkan States and precedents set in this case have the potential to affect EU expansion to the East.

Marine Conservation and Accession: The Future for the Croatian Adriatic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackelworth, Peter; Holcer, Draško; Jovanović, Jelena; Fortuna, Caterina

2011-04-01

The European Union (EU) is the world's largest trading bloc and the most influential supra-national organisation in the region. The EU has been the goal for many eastern European States, for Croatia accession remains a priority and underpins many of its national policies. However, entry into the EU requires certain commitments and concessions. In October 2003 the Croatian parliament declared an ecological and fisheries protection zone in the Adriatic. Under pressure the zone was suspended, finally entering into force in March 2008 exempting EU States. There are other marine conflicts between Croatia and the EU, particularly the contested maritime border with Slovenia, and the development of the Croatian fishing fleet in opposition to the Common Fisheries Policy. Conversely, attempts to harmonise Croatian Nature Protection with the EU Habitats Directive, facilitated by pre-accession funding, has galvanised conservation policy. Since 2005 two marine protected areas have been declared, significantly increasing the marine ecosystem under protection. Finally, the development of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive is the latest EU attempt to integrate environmental policy in the maritime realm. This will have an effect not only on member States but neighbouring countries. For marine nature protection to be effective in the region the Adriatic Sea needs to be viewed as a mutually important shared and limited resource not a bargaining chip. Negotiations of the EU and Croatia have been watched closely by the other Balkan States and precedents set in this case have the potential to affect EU expansion to the East.

European union standards for tuberculosis care.

PubMed

Migliori, G B; Zellweger, J P; Abubakar, I; Ibraim, E; Caminero, J A; De Vries, G; D'Ambrosio, L; Centis, R; Sotgiu, G; Menegale, O; Kliiman, K; Aksamit, T; Cirillo, D M; Danilovits, M; Dara, M; Dheda, K; Dinh-Xuan, A T; Kluge, H; Lange, C; Leimane, V; Loddenkemper, R; Nicod, L P; Raviglione, M C; Spanevello, A; Thomsen, V Ø; Villar, M; Wanlin, M; Wedzicha, J A; Zumla, A; Blasi, F; Huitric, E; Sandgren, A; Manissero, D

2012-04-01

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS) jointly developed European Union Standards for Tuberculosis Care (ESTC) aimed at providing European Union (EU)-tailored standards for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of tuberculosis (TB). The International Standards for TB Care (ISTC) were developed in the global context and are not always adapted to the EU setting and practices. The majority of EU countries have the resources and capacity to implement higher standards to further secure quality TB diagnosis, treatment and prevention. On this basis, the ESTC were developed as standards specifically tailored to the EU setting. A panel of 30 international experts, led by a writing group and the ERS and ECDC, identified and developed the 21 ESTC in the areas of diagnosis, treatment, HIV and comorbid conditions, and public health and prevention. The ISTCs formed the basis for the 21 standards, upon which additional EU adaptations and supplements were developed. These patient-centred standards are targeted to clinicians and public health workers, providing an easy-to-use resource, guiding through all required activities to ensure optimal diagnosis, treatment and prevention of TB. These will support EU health programmes to identify and develop optimal procedures for TB care, control and elimination.

Gender, Jobs and Working Conditions in the European Union.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fagan, Colette; Burchell, Brendan

Trends in gender, jobs, and working conditions in the European Union (EU) were examined. In 2000, representative samples of approximately 1,500 workers in each of the EU member states (500 in Luxembourg) were surveyed. To identify trends, the survey findings were compared with those of similar surveys conducted in 1991 and 1996. The comparison…

Is the European (Active) Citizenship Ideal Fostering Inclusion within the Union? A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milana, Marcella

2008-01-01

This article reviews: (1) the establishment and functioning of EU citizenship: (2) the resulting perception of education for European active citizenship; and (3) the question of its adequacy for enhancing democratic values and practices within the Union. Key policy documents produced by the EU help to unfold the basic assumptions on which…

Public health research support through the European structural funds in central and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean.

PubMed

McCarthy, Mark

2012-04-05

Public health research provides evidence for practice across fields including health care, health promotion and health surveillance. Levels of public health research vary markedly across European Union (EU) countries, and are lowest in the EU's new member states (in Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean). However, these countries now receive most of the EU's Structural Funds, some of which are allocated to research. STEPS, an EU-funded study, sought to assess support for public health research at national and European levels. To identify support through the Structural funds, STEPS drew information from country respondents and internet searches for all twelve EU new member states. The EU allocates annually around €7 billion through the Structural Funds for member states' own use on research. These funds can cover infrastructure, academic employment, and direct research grants. The programmes emphasise links to business. Support for health research includes major projects in biosciences, but direct support for public health research was found in only three countries - Cyprus, Latvia and Lithuania. Public health research is not prioritised in the EU's Structural Funds programme in comparison with biomedicine. For the research dimension of the new European programme for Structural Funds 2014-2002, ministries of health should propose public health research to strengthen the evidence-base for European public health policy and practice.

Food-borne zoonoses, the EU zoonosis legislation and the prospects for food safety and consumer protection during primary animal production.

PubMed

Smulders, Frans J M; Vågsholm, Ivar; Korkeala, Hannu

2008-01-01

Zoonoses are diseases that are transmitted naturally between animals and humans. The control of food-borne zoonoses within the European Union is a prerequisite for assuring a functional internal market and consequently represents an important item on the political agenda. Unfortunately, until recently, gaining a clear view of the current incidence of food-borne zoonoses and the prevalence of its causative agents has been frustrated by the absence of reliable monitoring and reporting systems. Similarly, it has become clear that, Europe wide, one has witnessed only limited success with regard to the control of important food-borne agents such as Salmonella spp. The European Union has adopted legislation to remedy this situation and to control food-borne zoonoses in primary production. This contribution discusses the incentives for introducing EU Directive 2003/99/EC and EU Regulation No. 2160/2003, summarises their essentials and discusses major ramifications of both pieces of legislation for the prevention of food-borne zoonoses. It is concluded that there is reason for cautious optimism concerning human salmonellosis, while for other food-borne zoonoses there should be a call for action.

Publication ethics in biomedical journals from countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

PubMed

Broga, Mindaugas; Mijaljica, Goran; Waligora, Marcin; Keis, Aime; Marusic, Ana

2014-03-01

Publication ethics is an important aspect of both the research and publication enterprises. It is particularly important in the field of biomedical science because published data may directly affect human health. In this article, we examine publication ethics policies in biomedical journals published in Central and Eastern Europe. We were interested in possible differences between East European countries that are members of the European Union (Eastern EU) and South-East European countries (South-East Europe) that are not members of the European Union. The most common ethical issues addressed by all journals in the region were redundant publication, peer review process, and copyright or licensing details. Image manipulation, editors' conflicts of interest and registration of clinical trials were the least common ethical policies. Three aspects were significantly more common in journals published outside the EU: statements on the endorsement of international editorial standards, contributorship policy, and image manipulation. On the other hand, copyright or licensing information were more prevalent in journals published in the Eastern EU. The existence of significant differences among biomedical journals' ethical policies calls for further research and active measures to harmonize policies across journals.

Where are we coming from versus who we will become: the effect of priming different contents of European identity on cooperation.

PubMed

La Barbera, Francesco; Ferrara, Pia Cariota; Boza, Mihaela

2014-12-01

In two experiments, we investigated how priming European identity as common project versus common heritage affects participants' cooperation in a social dilemma; an additional aim was to explore the mediators involved in the process. In the first experiment, 82 students played a public good dilemma with a European bogus partner and then completed self-report measures of identification with the European Union (EU), group-based trust and collective interest. Results showed that priming a common project-based but not a common heritage-based European social identity fostered cooperative behaviour; this effect was mediated by two sequential mediators: the common project prime increased participants' strength of identification with EU (mediator 1) which, in turn, positively affected group-based trust (mediator 2), fostering greater cooperation. Experiment 2 was conducted with a similar procedure on a sample of 124 students, using a different measure of trust and changing the order of mediators. Results supported those of previous experiment: Priming a project-based EU identity content (compared to heritage-based one) had significant direct and indirect effects on cooperation. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Telemedicine: The legal framework (or the lack of it) in Europe

PubMed Central

Raposo, Vera Lúcia

2016-01-01

In the framework of European law telemedicine is, simultaneously, a health service and an information service, therefore, both regulations apply. In what concerns healthcare and the practice of medicine there are no uniform regulations at the European level. Concerning health services the most relevant achievement to regulate this domain is Directive 2011/24/EU. In what regards information and telecommunications we must have in consideration Directive 95/46/EU, Directive 2000/31/EC and Directive 2002/58/EC. However, many issues still lack uniform regulation, mainly the domain of medical liability and of medical leges artis. Probably such standardization will never take place, since the European Union does not have, until now, a common set of norms regarding tort and criminal liability, much less specific legal norms on medical liability. These gaps may jeopardize a truly European internal market in health services and hamper the development of telemedicine in the European zone. PMID:27579146

Telemedicine: The legal framework (or the lack of it) in Europe.

PubMed

Raposo, Vera Lúcia

2016-01-01

In the framework of European law telemedicine is, simultaneously, a health service and an information service, therefore, both regulations apply. In what concerns healthcare and the practice of medicine there are no uniform regulations at the European level. Concerning health services the most relevant achievement to regulate this domain is Directive 2011/24/EU. In what regards information and telecommunications we must have in consideration Directive 95/46/EU, Directive 2000/31/EC and Directive 2002/58/EC. However, many issues still lack uniform regulation, mainly the domain of medical liability and of medical leges artis. Probably such standardization will never take place, since the European Union does not have, until now, a common set of norms regarding tort and criminal liability, much less specific legal norms on medical liability. These gaps may jeopardize a truly European internal market in health services and hamper the development of telemedicine in the European zone.

Healthcare access and mobility between the UK and other European Union states: an 'implementation surplus'.

PubMed

Sheaff, R

1997-12-01

European Union (EU) policy on mobility requires ensuring healthcare access for EU residents who travel between EU states. This case-study investigates how this policy has been implemented in respect of EU visitors to the UK. EU visitors to the UK have similar access to 'immediately needed' National Health Service (NHS) healthcare to UK residents. For non-urgent healthcare, the NHS has official systems to discourage 'medical tourism' and divert such patients to the private sector or to reclaim the costs of NHS hospital treatment for EU visitors. Yet these official systems contrast with the flexibility and liberality of actual NHS practice towards EU visitors. Research on health policy implementation mostly examines reasons for 'implementation failure'. However, the present study indicates a health policy being implemented more fully than policy-makers may have anticipated. In the case of healthcare access for EU visitors to the UK, an implementation surplus is evident rather than an implementation deficit.

Carbon, land, and water footprint accounts for the European Union: consumption, production, and displacements through international trade.

PubMed

Steen-Olsen, Kjartan; Weinzettel, Jan; Cranston, Gemma; Ercin, A Ertug; Hertwich, Edgar G

2012-10-16

A nation's consumption of goods and services causes various environmental pressures all over the world due to international trade. We use a multiregional input-output model to assess three kinds of environmental footprints for the member states of the European Union. Footprints are indicators that take the consumer responsibility approach to account for the total direct and indirect effects of a product or consumption activity. We quantify the total environmental pressures (greenhouse gas emissions: carbon footprint; appropriation of biologically productive land and water area: land footprint; and freshwater consumption: water footprint) caused by consumption in the EU. We find that the consumption activities by an average EU citizen in 2004 led to 13.3 tCO(2)e of induced greenhouse gas emissions, appropriation of 2.53 gha (hectares of land with global-average biological productivity), and consumption of 179 m(3) of blue water (ground and surface water). By comparison, the global averages were 5.7 tCO(2)e, 1.23 gha, and 163 m(3) blue water, respectively. Overall, the EU displaced all three types of environmental pressures to the rest of the world, through imports of products with embodied pressures. Looking at intra-EU displacements only, the UK was the most important displacer overall, while the largest net exporters of embodied environmental pressures were Poland (greenhouse gases), France (land), and Spain (freshwater).

Health impact assessment: assessing opportunities and barriers to intersectoral health improvement in an expanded European Union

PubMed Central

Lock, K.; McKee, M.

2005-01-01

On 1 May 2004 the European Union (EU) underwent unprecedented enlargement, from 15 to 25 countries, increasing its population by 20% to over 450 million. Although EU law has limited specific competence in the area of health, its influence on other policy sectors such as agriculture, trade, and employment has wide ranging implications for health. Yet with the exception of provisions on communicable disease control and food safety, public health considerations have played little part in negotiations on EU accession. This paper argues for an intersectoral public health approach in the expanded EU. It reviews the legal basis for assessing the health impacts of policy in the EU and, using health impact assessment as a case study, it examines how well the new member states may be prepared to tackle intersectoral public health action within the constraints imposed by EU policy. PMID:15831682

ASEM--The Modern Silk Road: Travelling Ideas for Education Reforms and Partnerships between Asia and Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dang, Que Anh

2013-01-01

Today the modern Silk Road between Asia and Europe is increasingly well-travelled in both directions by students, academics and policy makers. Over the last decade the European Union (EU) and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been making more attempts to shape this route by creating an educational partnership through an…

"Europe/Asia" Regionalism, Higher Education and the Production of World Order

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Susan

2008-01-01

From the early 1990s onwards, various European Union (EU) reports have commented on the low level of European exports and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Asian region, and the invisibility of Europe in the Asian imagination in comparison with the United States. To overcome this problem, a series of policy and programme initiatives have been…

[Genetically modified plants and food safety. State of the art and discussion in the European Union].

PubMed

Schauzu, M

2004-09-01

Placing genetically modified (GM) plants and derived products on the European Union's (EU) market has been regulated by a Community Directive since 1990. This directive was complemented by a regulation specific for genetically modified and other novel foods in 1997. Specific labelling requirements have been applicable for GM foods since 1998. The law requires a pre-market safety assessment for which criteria have been elaborated and continuously adapted in accordance with the state of the art by national and international bodies and organisations. Consequently, only genetically modified products that have been demonstrated to be as safe as their conventional counterparts can be commercialized. However, the poor acceptance of genetically modified foods has led to a de facto moratorium since 1998. It is based on the lack of a qualified majority of EU member states necessary for authorization to place genetically modified plants and derived foods on the market. New Community Regulations are intended to end this moratorium by providing a harmonized and transparent safety assessment, a centralised authorization procedure, extended labelling provisions and a traceability system for genetically modified organisms (GMO) and derived food and feed.

From information to participation and self-organization: Visions for European river basin management.

PubMed

Euler, Johannes; Heldt, Sonja

2018-04-15

The European Union Water Framework Directive (EU WFD, 2000) calls for active inclusion of the public in the governance of waterbodies to enhance the effectiveness and legitimacy of water management schemes across the EU. As complex socio-ecological systems, river basins in western Europe could benefit from further support for inclusive management schemes. This paper makes use of case studies from Germany, England and Spain to explore the potential opportunities and challenges of different participatory management approaches. Grounded in theoretical considerations around participation within ecological management schemes, including Arnstein's Ladder of Participation and commons theories, this work provides an evaluation of each case study based on key indicators, such as inclusivity, representativeness, self-organization, decision-making power, spatial fit and temporal continuity. As investors and the public develop a heightened awareness for long-term sustainability of industrial projects, this analysis supports the suggestion that increased participatory river basin management is both desirable and economically feasible, and should thus be considered a viable option for future projects aiming to move beyond current requirements of the European Union Water Framework Directive. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Political legitimacy and European monetary union: contracts, constitutionalism and the normative logic of two-level games

PubMed Central

Bellamy, Richard; Weale, Albert

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The crisis of the euro area has severely tested the political authority of the European Union (EU). The crisis raises questions of normative legitimacy both because the EU is a normative order and because the construction of economic and monetary union (EMU) rested upon a theory that stressed the normative value of the depoliticization of money. However, this theory neglected the normative logic of the two-level game implicit in EMU. It also neglected the need for an impartial and publically acceptable constitutional order to acknowledge reasonable disagreements. By contrast, we contend that any reconstruction of the EU's economic constitution has to pay attention to reconciling a European monetary order with the legitimacy of member state governance. The EU requires a two-level contract to meet this standard. Member states must treat each other as equals and be representative of and accountable to their citizens on an equitable basis. These criteria entail that the EU's political legitimacy requires a form of demoicracy that we call ‘republican intergovernmentalism’. Only rules that could be acceptable as the product of a political constitution among the peoples of Europe can ultimately meet the required standards of political legitimacy. Such a political constitution could be brought about through empowering national parliaments in EU decision-making. PMID:26924935

Political legitimacy and European monetary union: contracts, constitutionalism and the normative logic of two-level games.

PubMed

Bellamy, Richard; Weale, Albert

2015-02-07

The crisis of the euro area has severely tested the political authority of the European Union (EU). The crisis raises questions of normative legitimacy both because the EU is a normative order and because the construction of economic and monetary union (EMU) rested upon a theory that stressed the normative value of the depoliticization of money. However, this theory neglected the normative logic of the two-level game implicit in EMU. It also neglected the need for an impartial and publically acceptable constitutional order to acknowledge reasonable disagreements. By contrast, we contend that any reconstruction of the EU's economic constitution has to pay attention to reconciling a European monetary order with the legitimacy of member state governance. The EU requires a two-level contract to meet this standard. Member states must treat each other as equals and be representative of and accountable to their citizens on an equitable basis. These criteria entail that the EU's political legitimacy requires a form of demoi cracy that we call 'republican intergovernmentalism'. Only rules that could be acceptable as the product of a political constitution among the peoples of Europe can ultimately meet the required standards of political legitimacy. Such a political constitution could be brought about through empowering national parliaments in EU decision-making.

European Union Standards for Tuberculosis Care

PubMed Central

Migliori, G.B.; Zellweger, J.P.; Abubakar, I.; Ibraim, E.; Caminero, J.A.; De Vries, G.; D'Ambrosio, L.; Centis, R.; Sotgiu, G.; Menegale, O.; Kliiman, K.; Aksamit, T.; Cirillo, D.M.; Danilovits, M.; Dara, M.; Dheda, K.; Dinh-Xuan, A.T.; Kluge, H.; Lange, C.; Leimane, V.; Loddenkemper, R.; Nicod, L.P.; Raviglione, M.C.; Spanevello, A.; Thomsen, V.Ø.; Villar, M.; Wanlin, M.; Wedzicha, J.A.; Zumla, A.; Blasi, F.; Huitric, E.; Sandgren, A.; Manissero, D.

2012-01-01

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS) jointly developed European Union Standards for Tuberculosis Care (ESTC) aimed at providing European Union (EU)-tailored standards for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of tuberculosis (TB). The International Standards for TB Care (ISTC) were developed in the global context and are not always adapted to the EU setting and practices. The majority of EU countries have the resources and capacity to implement higher standards to further secure quality TB diagnosis, treatment and prevention. On this basis, the ESTC were developed as standards specifically tailored to the EU setting. A panel of 30 international experts, led by a writing group and the ERS and ECDC, identified and developed the 21 ESTC in the areas of diagnosis, treatment, HIV and comorbid conditions, and public health and prevention. The ISTCs formed the basis for the 21 standards, upon which additional EU adaptations and supplements were developed. These patient-centred standards are targeted to clinicians and public health workers, providing an easy-to-use resource, guiding through all required activities to ensure optimal diagnosis, treatment and prevention of TB. These will support EU health programmes to identify and develop optimal procedures for TB care, control and elimination. PMID:22467723

Scientific collaboration between 'old' and 'new' member states: Did joining the European Union make a difference?

PubMed

Makkonen, Teemu; Mitze, Timo

This paper provides new insights on the effects of the enlargement of the European Union (EU) and European integration by investigating the issue of scientific collaboration within the new EU member states vis - à - vis the old EU member states. The question addressed is whether the EU membership following the two enlargement waves 2004 and 2007 has significantly increased the co-publication intensity of the new member states with other member countries. The empirical results based on data collected from the Web of Science database and Difference-in-Difference estimations point towards a conclusion that joining the EU indeed has had an additional positive impact on the co-publication intensity between the new and old member states and, in particular, within the new member states themselves. These results give tentative support for the successfulness of the EU's science policies in achieving a common 'internal market' in research. We also find evidence for early anticipation effects of the consecutive EU accession.

Changes in Estonian General Education from the Collapse of the Soviet Union to EU Entry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krull, Edgar; Trasberg, Karmen

2006-01-01

This article introduces and discusses the nature and development of Estonian system of general education in the period of last thirty years. The main focus is paid on the changes resulting from the collapse of the Soviet Union and the period of integration leading up to EU entry. Also changes in other spheres of education and social life are…

A Comparative Analysis of E-Learning Policy Formulation in the European Union and the United States: Discursive Convergence and Divergence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erichsen, Elizabeth Roumell; Salajan, Florin D.

2014-01-01

This study developed a framework that compares the content and purposes of "federal" level European Union (EU) and United States (US) e-learning policy to ascertain trends, patterns, and points of convergence and divergence across the years 1994-2010. It reveals that the EU and US are applying similar rhetoric for policy framing,…

The Road to the European Union: Macroeconomic Policy Challenges for Hungary and Poland. Fulbright-Hayes Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 2002 (Hungary and Poland).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Teresita R.

Prospects for the enlargement of the European Union (EU) became imminent when the EU Commission agreed in 1997 to open formal negotiations with five of the Central and Eastern European countries: (1) the Czech Republic; (2) Hungary; (3) Poland; (4) Slovenia; and (5) Estonia. This research project discusses macroeconomic policy challenges that…

Is 48 hours enough for Obstetrics and Gynaecology training in Europe?

PubMed Central

Rose, K.; Van de Venne, M.; Abakke, A.J.M.; Romanek, K.; Redecha, M.

2012-01-01

The European Working Time Directive, implemented by the European Union (EU) in 1993, was adopted in the medical profession to improve patient safety as well as the working lives of doctors. The Directive reduced the average amount of hours trainee doctors worked to 48 hours per week. However, its adoption has varied throughout the EU. Its potential effect on both the quality and total amount of hours of training has caused concern. This monograph presents data on Obstetrics and Gynaecology training in Europe obtained from several of the European Network of Trainees in Obstetrics & Gynaecology’s (ENTOG) surveys. The monograph demonstrates large variations in training and explains the difficulties in ascertaining whether 48 hours of training a week is sufficient to become an Obstetrics and Gynaecology specialist in Europe. PMID:24753895

The impact of the EU general data protection regulation on scientific research.

PubMed

Chassang, Gauthier

2017-01-01

The use of personal data is critical to ensure quality and reliability in scientific research. The new Regulation [European Union (EU)] 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data [general data protection regulation (GDPR)], repealing Directive 95/46/EC, strengthens and harmonises the rules for protecting individuals' privacy rights and freedoms within and, under certain conditions, outside the EU territory. This new and historic legal milestone both prolongs and updates the EU acquis of the previous Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC. The GDPR fixes both general rules applying to any kind of personal data processing and specific rules applying to the processing of special categories of personal data such as health data taking place in the context of scientific research, this including clinical and translational research areas. This article aims to provide an overview of the new rules to consider where scientific projects include the processing of personal health data, genetic data or biometric data and other kinds of sensitive information whose use is strictly regulated by the GDPR in order to give the main key facts to researchers to adapt their practices and ensure compliance to the EU law to be enforced in May 2018.

The impact of the EU general data protection regulation on scientific research

PubMed Central

Chassang, Gauthier

2017-01-01

The use of personal data is critical to ensure quality and reliability in scientific research. The new Regulation [European Union (EU)] 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data [general data protection regulation (GDPR)], repealing Directive 95/46/EC, strengthens and harmonises the rules for protecting individuals’ privacy rights and freedoms within and, under certain conditions, outside the EU territory. This new and historic legal milestone both prolongs and updates the EU acquis of the previous Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC. The GDPR fixes both general rules applying to any kind of personal data processing and specific rules applying to the processing of special categories of personal data such as health data taking place in the context of scientific research, this including clinical and translational research areas. This article aims to provide an overview of the new rules to consider where scientific projects include the processing of personal health data, genetic data or biometric data and other kinds of sensitive information whose use is strictly regulated by the GDPR in order to give the main key facts to researchers to adapt their practices and ensure compliance to the EU law to be enforced in May 2018. PMID:28144283

Single European currency and Monetary Union. Macroeconomic implications for pharmaceutical spending.

PubMed

Kanavos, P

1998-01-01

This article examines the potential implications of introducing a single currency among the Member States of the European Union for national pharmaceutical prices and spending. In doing so, it provides a brief account of the direct effects of introducing a single currency on pharmaceutical business. These are static in nature and include the elimination of exchange rate volatility and transaction costs, increased price transparency and limited potential for parallel trade. It subsequently analyses the potential medium and long term macroeconomic policy choices facing the Member States and their impact on pharmaceutical spending following the introduction of a single currency. These include policy directions in order to meet the Maastricht convergence criteria in the run-up to forming an Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the implications of EMU on national macroeconomic policy thereafter. This article argues that the necessity for tight fiscal policies across the EU and, in particular, in those Member States facing high budget deficits and overall debt levels, will continue to exert considerable downward pressure on pharmaceutical spending.

E-Learning and Training in Europe: A Survey into the Use of e-Learning in Training and Professional Development in the European Union. CEDEFOP Reference Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Thessaloniki (Greece).

A study investigated the extent of e-learning learning supported by information and communication technologies (ICT) methods in vocational education and training (VET) in the European Union (EU). The survey conducted via the Internet received 653 replies from organizations in the EU. Just over 80 percent of respondents were suppliers or users of…

[The new directive on tobacco products: "(a Battle) ended, (Battle) is just beginning"!].

PubMed

Ciobanu, Magdalena; Postolache, Paraschiva

2014-01-01

As tobacco products are sold in all the 28 member states of the European Union, they are subject of regulation of the internal common market. Thus, the Directive 2001/37/EC lays down rules at Union level concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products. In order to reflect scientific, market and international developments, substantial changes have to be made and the Directive was replaced by a new Directive. The process has begun in 2009 and was finished in December 2013, with a political agreement regarding the new provisions. The final vote in the European Parliament (expected for February 2014) will mark the end of a long and difficult legislative process. The article presents the main changes of the regulation of tobacco products from the point of view of health professionals, closer to their expectations and understandings. The complete text in Romanian and English language of the new directive will be available on: www.stopfumat.eu.

Cancer research performance in the European Union: a study of published output from 2000 to 2008.

PubMed

Micheli, Andrea; Di Salvo, Francesca; Lombardo, Claudio; Ugolini, Donatella; Baili, Paolo; A Pierotti, Marco

2011-01-01

Although several studies have assessed cancer research performance in individual European countries, comparisons of European Union (EU27) performance with countries of similar population size are not available. We compared cancer research performance in 2000-2008 between EU27 and 11 countries with over 100 million inhabitants. Performance should not have been affected by the 2007-2009 recession. We examined 143 journals considered oncology journals by Journal Citation Reports, accessing them via Scopus. Publications were attributed to countries using a published counting procedure. For number of publications, the USA held a clear lead in 2006-2008 (yearly averages: 10,293 USA vs 9,962 EU27), whereas the EU27 held the lead previously. EU27 was also second to the USA for total impact factor. China markedly improved its cancer publications record over the period. Compared to the USA, EU27 and Japan, the other countries (all developing) had a poor publications record. Comparative cancer research spending data are not available. However from 2002 to 2007, gross domestic expenditure on research and development (UNESCO data) increased by 34% in North America, 161% in China and only 28% in EU27. Thus the European Union is lagging behind North America and may well be eclipsed by China in research and development spending in the near future. We suggest that these new findings should be considered by policymakers in Europe and other countries when developing policies for cancer control.

Licensing procedures and registration of medical doctors in the European Union.

PubMed

Kovacs, Eszter; Schmidt, Andrea E; Szocska, Gabor; Busse, Reinhard; McKee, Martin; Legido-Quigley, Helena

2014-06-01

The current proposals to update the European Union (EU) directive on professional qualifications will have potentially important implications for health professions. Yet those discussing it will struggle to find basic information on key issues such as licensing and registration of physicians in different countries. A survey was conducted among national experts in 14 EU member states, supplemented by literature and independent expert review. The questionnaire covered five components of licensing and registration: (1) definitions, (2) regulatory basis, (3) governance, (4) the process of registration and (5) flow and quantity of applications. We identify seven areas of concern: (1) the meaning of terminology, which is inconsistent; (2) the role of language assessments and the responsibility for them; (3) whether approval to practise should be lifelong or time limited, subject to periodic assessment; (4) the need for improved systems to identify those deemed no longer fit to practise in one member state; (5) the complexity of processes for graduates from non-EU/European Economic Area (EAA) countries; (6) public access to registers; and (7) transparency of systems of governance. The systems of licensing and registration of doctors in Europe have developed within specific national contexts and vary widely. This creates inevitable problems in the context of free movement of professionals and increasing mobility. © 2014 Royal College of Physicians.

Information technology law and health systems in the European Union.

PubMed

Mossialos, Elias; Thomson, Sarah; Ter Linden, Annemarie

2004-01-01

This study aims to examine the impact of European Union (EU) law relating to information technology (IT) on health systems. The study identifies EU directives relating to IT, analyzes them in terms of their impact on the use of IT in health systems, and outlines their implications for health technology assessment (HTA). Analysis is based on a review of literature identified through relevant databases and Internet searches. Developments in IT have serious implications for EU health systems, presenting policy makers with new challenges. The European Commission has adopted a range of legal measures to protect consumers in the "information society" However, as few of them are health-specific, it is not evident that they have implications for health, health systems, or HTA, and they may not be effective in protecting consumers in the health sector. In light of the growing importance of IT in the health sector, legal and nonlegal measures need to be further developed at EU and international level. Where possible, future initiatives should pay attention to the particular characteristics of health goods and services and health systems. Although definitions of HTA usually recognize the importance of evaluating both the indirect, unintended consequences of health technologies and the legal aspects of their application, it seems that, in practice, HTA often overlooks or underestimates legislative matters. Those involved in HTA should be aware of the legal implications of using IT to provide health goods and services and compile, store, transfer, and disseminate health information electronically.

EU Rural Development Policy in the New Member States: Promoting Multifunctionality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramniceanu, Irina; Ackrill, Robert

2007-01-01

European Union (EU) enlargement has seen 10 new member states (NMS) adopt the full range of EU policies. Within this, the rural development arm of the Common Agricultural Policy offers particular points of interest. Member states chose from an extensive list of policy measures developed within the EU15 and intended, in particular, to…

The implementation of the Strategy Europe 2020 objectives in European Union countries: the concept analysis and statistical evaluation.

PubMed

Stec, Małgorzata; Grzebyk, Mariola

2018-01-01

The European Union (EU), striving to create economic dominance on the global market, has prepared a comprehensive development programme, which initially was the Lisbon Strategy and then the Strategy Europe 2020. The attainment of the strategic goals included in the prospective development programmes shall transform the EU into the most competitive economy in the world based on knowledge. This paper presents a statistical evaluation of progress being made by EU member states in meeting Europe 2020. For the basis of the assessment, the authors proposed a general synthetic measure in dynamic terms, which allows to objectively compare EU member states by 10 major statistical indicators. The results indicate that most of EU countries show average progress in realisation of Europe's development programme which may suggest that the goals may not be achieved in the prescribed time. It is particularly important to monitor the implementation of Europe 2020 to arrive at the right decisions which will guarantee the accomplishment of the EU's development strategy.

Pharmacovigilance in pharmaceutical companies: An overview

PubMed Central

Mammì, Maria; Citraro, Rita; Torcasio, Giovanni; Cusato, Gennaro; Palleria, Caterina; di Paola, Eugenio Donato

2013-01-01

Pharmacovigilance is responsible for monitoring the safety of medicines in normal clinical use and during clinical trials. In the light of the experience acquired and following an assessment by the Commission of the Union system of pharmacovigilance, it has become clear that it is necessary to take measures in order to improve the operation of Union law on the pharmacovigilance of medicinal products for human use. Regulation (EU) No 1235/2010 and Directive 2010/84/EU introduced new legislation on pharmacovigilance. The marketing authorization holder should be responsible for continuously monitoring the safety of its medicinal products for human use, for informing the authorities of any changes that might have an impact on the marketing authorization, and for ensuring that the product information is kept up-to-date. Marketing authorization holders (MAH) record all suspected adverse reactions occurring in the European Union or in the third countries, and which are brought to their attention spontaneously by the patients or their health care, or occurring in the context of post-authorization study. For all medicinal products is mandatory to maintain a pharmacovigilance system master file (PSMF). According to the Legislative Decree 219/2006 the MAH must submit to the competent authorities the information on suspected adverse reactions of a medicinal product, in form of a periodic safety update reports (PSURs). PMID:24347978

Pharmacovigilance in pharmaceutical companies: An overview.

PubMed

Mammì, Maria; Citraro, Rita; Torcasio, Giovanni; Cusato, Gennaro; Palleria, Caterina; di Paola, Eugenio Donato

2013-12-01

Pharmacovigilance is responsible for monitoring the safety of medicines in normal clinical use and during clinical trials. In the light of the experience acquired and following an assessment by the Commission of the Union system of pharmacovigilance, it has become clear that it is necessary to take measures in order to improve the operation of Union law on the pharmacovigilance of medicinal products for human use. Regulation (EU) No 1235/2010 and Directive 2010/84/EU introduced new legislation on pharmacovigilance. The marketing authorization holder should be responsible for continuously monitoring the safety of its medicinal products for human use, for informing the authorities of any changes that might have an impact on the marketing authorization, and for ensuring that the product information is kept up-to-date. Marketing authorization holders (MAH) record all suspected adverse reactions occurring in the European Union or in the third countries, and which are brought to their attention spontaneously by the patients or their health care, or occurring in the context of post-authorization study. For all medicinal products is mandatory to maintain a pharmacovigilance system master file (PSMF). According to the Legislative Decree 219/2006 the MAH must submit to the competent authorities the information on suspected adverse reactions of a medicinal product, in form of a periodic safety update reports (PSURs).

The 2011 PHARMINE report on pharmacy and pharmacy education in the European Union

PubMed Central

Atkinson, Jeffrey; Rombaut, Bart

The PHARMINE consortium consists of 50 universities from European Union member states or other European countries that are members of the European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy (EAFP). EU partner associations representing community (PGEU), hospital (EAHP) and industrial pharmacy (EIPG), together with the European Pharmacy Students’ Association (EPSA) are also part of the consortium. The consortium surveyed pharmacies and pharmacists in different settings: community, hospital, industry and other sectors. The consortium also looked at how European Union higher education institutions and courses are organised. The PHARMINE survey of pharmacy and pharmacy education in Europe produced country profiles with extensive information for EU member states and several other European countries. These data are available at: http://www.pharmine.org/losse_paginas/Country_Profiles/. This 2011 PHARMINE report presents the project and data, and some preliminary analysis on the basic question of how pharmacy education is adapted to pharmacy practice in the EU. PMID:24198854

Fungicide control of Phytophthora ramorum on rhododendron

Treesearch

Kurt Heungens; Isabelle De Dobbelaere; Martine Maes

2006-01-01

Commercial rhododendron plants have been the most important hosts of Phytophthora ramorum in Europe. As part of the European Union (EU) emergency phytosanitary measures 2002/757/EU and 2004/426/EU all commercial rhododendron-growing premises are surveyed for P. ramorum. Detection of P. ramorum leads to quarantine...

Occurrence and removal of organic micropollutants: An overview of the watch list of EU Decision 2015/495.

PubMed

Barbosa, Marta O; Moreira, Nuno F F; Ribeiro, Ana R; Pereira, Manuel F R; Silva, Adrián M T

2016-05-01

Although there are no legal discharge limits for micropollutants into the environment, some regulations have been published in the last few years. Recently, a watch list of substances for European Union-wide monitoring was reported in the Decision 2015/495/EU of 20 March 2015. Besides the substances previously recommended to be included by the Directive 39/2013/EU, namely two pharmaceuticals (diclofenac and the synthetic hormone 17-alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2)) and a natural hormone (17-beta-estradiol (E2)), the first watch list of 10 substances/groups of substances also refers three macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin), other natural hormone (estrone (E1)), some pesticides (methiocarb, oxadiazon, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, acetamiprid and triallate), a UV filter (2-ethylhexyl-4-methoxycinnamate) and an antioxidant (2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol) commonly used as food additive. Since little is known about the removal of most of the substances included in the Decision 2015/495/EU, particularly regarding realistic concentrations in aqueous environmental samples, this review aims to: (i) overview the European policy in the water field; (ii) briefly describe the most commonly used conventional and advanced treatment processes to remove micropollutants; (iii) summarize the relevant data published in the last decade, regarding occurrence and removal in aqueous matrices of the 10 substances/groups of substances that were recently included in the first watch list for European Union monitoring (Decision 2015/495/EU); and (iv) highlight the lack of reports concerning some substances of the watch list, the study of un-spiked aquatic matrices and the assessment of transformation by-products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Euros vs. Yuan: Comparing European and Chinese Fishing Access in West Africa

PubMed Central

Belhabib, Dyhia; Sumaila, U. Rashid; Lam, Vicky W. Y.; Zeller, Dirk; Le Billon, Philippe; Abou Kane, Elimane; Pauly, Daniel

2015-01-01

We compare the performance of European Union (EU) and Chinese fisheries access agreements with West African countries in terms of illegal and unreported fishing, economic equity, and patterns of exploitation. Bottom-up re-estimations of catch reveal that the EU (1.6 million t•year-1) and China (2.3 million t•year-1) report only 29% and 8%, respectively, of their estimated total catches (including estimated discards whenever possible) from West African countries between 2000 and 2010. EU catches are declining, while Chinese catches are increasing and are yet to reach the historic maximum level of EU catches (3 million t•year-1 on average in the 1970s-1980s). The monetary value of EU fishing agreements, correlated in theory with reported catches, is straightforward to access, in contrast to Chinese agreements. However, once quantified, the value of Chinese agreements is readily traceable within the African economy through the different projects they directly cover, in contrast to the funds disbursed [to host governments] by the EU. Overall, China provides resources equivalent to about 4% of the ex-vessel value [value at landing] of the catch taken by Chinese distant-water fleets from West African waters, while the EU pays 8%. We address the difficulties of separating fees directly related to fishing from other economic or political motivations for Chinese fees, which could introduce a bias to the present findings as this operation is not performed for EU access fees officially related to fishing. Our study reveals that the EU and China perform similarly in terms of illegal fishing, patterns of exploitation and sustainability of resource use, while under-reporting by the EU increases and that by China decreases. The EU agreements provide, in theory, room for improving scientific research, monitoring and surveillance, suggesting a better performance than for Chinese agreements, but the end-use of the EU funds are more difficult, and sometime impossible to ascertain. PMID:25793775

Teaching Citizenship: What if the EU Is Part of the Solution and Not the Problem?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lödén, Hans; McCallion, Malin Stegmann; Wall, Peter

2014-01-01

We propose that the European Union (EU) should be used in citizenship education as a possible vehicle for citizens' influence on issues outside the reach of the nation-state. Citizenship education thus ought to include the EU as an arena for political action and relevant "EU knowledge" ought to be part of the curriculum. Concepts from…

Conjunctive Cohesion in English Language EU Documents--A Corpus-Based Analysis and Its Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trebits, Anna

2009-01-01

This paper reports the findings of a study which forms part of a larger-scale research project investigating the use of English in the documents of the European Union (EU). The documents of the EU show various features of texts written for legal, business and other specific purposes. Moreover, the translation services of the EU institutions often…

Workers' health surveillance: implementation of the Directive 89/391/EEC in Europe.

PubMed

Colosio, C; Mandic-Rajcevic, S; Godderis, L; van der Laan, G; Hulshof, C; van Dijk, F

2017-10-01

European Union (EU) Directive 89/391 addressed occupational health surveillance, which recommends to provide workers with 'access to health surveillance at regular intervals', aiming to prevent work-related and occupational diseases. To investigate how EU countries adopted this Directive. We invited one selected representative per member state to complete a questionnaire. All 28 EU countries implemented the Directive in some form. Workers' health surveillance (WHS) is available to all workers in 15 countries, while in 12, only specific subgroups have access. In 21 countries, workers' participation is mandatory, and in 22, the employer covers the cost. In 13 countries, access to WHS is not available to all workers but depends on exposure to specific risk factors, size of the enterprise or belonging to vulnerable groups. In 26 countries, the employer appoints and revokes the physician in charge of WHS. Twelve countries have no recent figures, reports or cost-benefit analyses of their WHS programmes. In 15 countries where reports exist, they are often in the native language. Coverage and quality of occupational health surveillance should be evaluated to facilitate learning from good practice and from scientific studies. We propose a serious debate in the EU with the aim of protecting workers more effectively, including the use of evidence-based WHS programmes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

78 FR 38541 - Increase in Fees for Voluntary Federal Dairy Grading and Inspection Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-27

... 10 percent effective February 2014. The fees applicable to European Union Health Certification... European Union Health Certification Program derogation process. These actions will equally affect all...-resident service per European Union (EU) Health Certification Program derogation for somatic cell count and...

An Assessment of Coherence Between Early Warning and Response Systems and Serious Cross-Border Health Threats in the European Union and Turkey

PubMed Central

Elif Ekmekci, Perihan

2017-01-01

Disease outbreaks have attracted the attention of the public health community to early warning and response systems (EWRS) for communicable diseases and other cross-border threats to health. The European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have published regulations in this area. Decision 1082/2013/EU brought a new approach the management of public health threats in EU member states. Decision 1082/2013/EU brought several innovations, which included establishing a Health Security Committee; preparedness and response planning; joint procurement of medical countermeasures; ad hoc monitoring for biological, chemical, and environmental threats; EWRS; and recognition of an emergency situation and interoperability between various sectors. Turkey, as an acceding country to the EU and a member of the WHO, has been improving its national public health system to meet EU legislations and WHO standards. This article first explains EWRS as defined in Decision 1082/2013/EU and Turkey’s obligations to align its public health laws to the EU acquis. EWRS in Turkey are addressed, particularly their coherence with EU policies regarding preparedness and response, alert notification, and interoperability between health and other sectors. Finally, the challenges and limitations of the current Turkish system are discussed and further improvements are suggested. PMID:27511433

EU Employment and Social Policy, 1999-2001: Jobs, Cohesion, Productivity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium). Directorate-General for Employment and Social Affairs.

This document examines employment and social policy in the European Union in 1999-2001. The document begins with an interview with Anna Diamantopoulou, the European Union's commissioner for employment and social affairs and the paper "Balancing Jobs, Cohesion, and Productivity" by Odile Quintin, the European Union's director-general for…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walker, Randy M

Thousands of shipments of radioisotopes developed in the United States (US) are transported domestically and internationally for medical and industrial applications, including to partner laboratories in European Union (EU) countries. Over the past five years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Energy (DOE), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have worked with state regulatory compliance personnel, key private sector shippers and carriers, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tracking and monitoring of medical and industrial radioisotopes inmore » commerce. The EPA Radiological Source Tracking and Monitoring (RadSTraM) project tested, evaluated, and integrated RFID technologies in laboratory settings, and at multiple private-sector shipping and distribution facilities (Perkin Elmer and DHL) using common radioisotopes used in everyday commerce. The RFID tracking was also tested in association with other deployed technologies including radiation detection, chemical/explosives detection, advanced imaging, lasers, and infrared scanning. At the 2007 EU-US Summit, the leaders of the US Department of Commerce (DOC) and EU European Commission (EC) committed to pursue jointly directed Lighthouse Priority Projects. These projects are intended to 'foster cooperation' and 'reduce regulatory burdens' with respect to transatlantic commerce. The Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) Lighthouse Project on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has been directed to 'develop a joint framework for cooperation on identification and development of best practices for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies.' The RFID Lighthouse Priority Project commits both sides to endeavor to align U.S. and EU regulatory and policy approaches on RFID technologies, including pilot projects in the public sector. The RadSTraM project was specifically cited as a candidate for a RFID Lighthouse Project by the EU/DOC collaboration in meeting their mutual goal of developing a 'joint framework for cooperation on identification and development of best practices for RFID technologies.' Concurrently, the Universal Postal Union (UPU) identified this project as a candidate for radioisotope packages shipped by the postal service between the United State Postal Service (USPS). and European Post Agencies.« less

Germany in Europe: Enduring Issues. Social Studies Grades 6-12. Update 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blankenship, Glen; Moffitt, Louisa

This instructional package, consisting of a text and 27 transparencies, is designed for the middle and secondary school classroom. The unit focuses on three topics: (1) "Germany in the European Union (EU)" (four lessons focusing on history of the EU, characteristics of member states, and EU governance); (2) "Economic Issues in…

Export competitiveness of dairy products on global markets: the case of the European Union countries.

PubMed

Bojnec, Š; Fertő, I

2014-10-01

This paper analyzed the export competitiveness of dairy products of the European Union (EU) countries (EU-27) on intra-EU, extra-EU, and global markets, using the revealed comparative advantage index over the 2000-2011 period. The results indicated that about half of the EU-27 countries have had competitive exports in a certain segment of dairy products. The results differed by level of milk processing and for intra-EU and extra-EU markets, and did so over the analyzed years. Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands are old EU-15 countries with competitive dairy exports (from the lowest to the highest according to the level of milk processing). The majority of the new EU-12 countries have faced difficulties in maintaining their level of export competitiveness, at least for some dairy products and market segments. The more competitive EU-12 countries in dairy exports were the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) and Poland. The duration of export competitiveness differed across the dairy groups of products according to the level of milk processing, indicating the importance of dairy chain product differentiation for export competitiveness and specialization. The export competitiveness of the higher level of processed milk products for final consumption can be significant for export dairy chain competitiveness on global markets. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

EU accession: A policy window opportunity for nursing?

PubMed

De Raeve, Paul; Rafferty, Anne-Marie; Bariball, Louise; Young, Ruth; Boiko, Olga

2017-03-01

European enlargement has been studied in a wide range of policy areas within and beyond health. Yet the impact of EU enlargement upon one of the largest health professions, nursing, has been largely neglected. This paper aims to explore nurse leadership using a comparative case study method in two former Communist countries, Romania and Croatia. Specifically, it considers the extent to which engagement in the EU accession policy-making process provided a policy window for the leaders to formulate and implement a professional agenda while negotiating EU accession. Findings of qualitative interviews and documentary analysis indicate that the mechanisms used to facilitate the accession process were not successful in achieving compliance with the education standards in the Community Acquis, as highlighted in the criteria on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications set out in Directive 2005/36/EC. EU accession capacity building and accession funds were not deployed efficiently to upgrade Romanian and Croatian nursing education towards meeting EU standards. Conflicting views on accession held by the various nursing stakeholders (nursing regulator, nursing union, governmental chief nurse and the professional association) inhibited the setting of a common policy agenda to achieve compliance with EU standards. The study findings suggest a need to critically review EU accession mechanisms and better align leadership at all governance levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development and testing of a European Union-wide farm-level carbon calculator.

PubMed

Tuomisto, Hanna L; De Camillis, Camillo; Leip, Adrian; Nisini, Luigi; Pelletier, Nathan; Haastrup, Palle

2015-07-01

Direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture accounted for approximately 10% of total European Union (EU) emissions in 2010. To reduce farming-related GHG emissions, appropriate policy measures and supporting tools for promoting low-C farming practices may be efficacious. This article presents the methodology and testing results of a new EU-wide, farm-level C footprint calculator. The Carbon Calculator quantifies GHG emissions based on international standards and technical specifications on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and C footprinting. The tool delivers its results both at the farm level and as allocated to up to 5 main products of the farm. In addition to the quantification of GHG emissions, the calculator proposes mitigation options and sequestration actions that may be suitable for individual farms. The results obtained during a survey made on 54 farms from 8 EU Member States are presented. These farms were selected in view of representing the diversity of farm types across different environmental zones in the EU. The results of the C footprint of products in the data set show wide range of variation between minimum and maximum values. The results of the mitigation actions showed that the tool can help identify practices that can lead to substantial emission reductions. To avoid burden-shifting from climate change to other environmental issues, the future improvements of the tool should include incorporation of other environmental impact categories in place of solely focusing on GHG emissions. © 2015 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

Pharmacology and Therapeutics Education in the European Union Needs Harmonization and Modernization: A Cross‐sectional Survey Among 185 Medical Schools in 27 Countries

PubMed Central

Tichelaar, J; Okorie, M; Bissell, L; Christiaens, T; Likic, R; Mačìulaitis, R; Costa, J; Sanz, EJ; Tamba, BI; Maxwell, SR; Richir, MC; van Agtmael, MA

2017-01-01

Effective teaching in pharmacology and clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) is necessary to make medical students competent prescribers. However, the current structure, delivery, and assessment of CPT education in the European Union (EU) is unknown. We sent an online questionnaire to teachers with overall responsibility for CPT education in EU medical schools. Questions focused on undergraduate teaching and assessment of CPT, and students' preparedness for prescribing. In all, 185 medical schools (64%) from 27 EU countries responded. Traditional learning methods were mainly used. The majority of respondents did not provide students with the opportunity to practice real‐life prescribing and believed that their students were not well prepared for prescribing. There is a marked difference in the quality and quantity of CPT education within and between EU countries, suggesting that there is considerable scope for improvement. A collaborative approach should be adopted to harmonize and modernize the undergraduate CPT education across the EU. PMID:28295236

European Union health policy and its implications for national convergence.

PubMed

Cucic, S

2000-06-01

This paper explores the relevance for health care of European Union (EU) legislation, regulation and policies. Reports, communications and other materials of the European Commission and other relevant European bodies are screened for their implications for health care, primarily on the national health system level. The paper provides a brief overview of EU history and its main institutions, followed by an analysis of health (care)-related provisions in the EU's main legal documents--its treaties. The impact of the EU actions on health protection is considered with regard to both actions in the field of public health and health protection requirements in its policies. In the public health area, information systems that are now being developed are discussed, followed by an outline of health protection requirements in EU policies that can have an impact on health systems. These policies are then analysed using the political factions model. Finally an attempt is made to predict future developments, stressing the need for a far-reaching synchronization of national systems.

[The implementation of legislation acts regarding prevention of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens from perspective of Poland as the ue country].

PubMed

Szczeniowski, Adam; Gańczak, Maria

2011-01-01

The paper presents the history of implementation of legislation related to prevention of occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens in the U.S.A. and EU, including a detailed description of existing regulations. The pioneering role of American legislation in establishing relevant legal acts to prevent employees from sharp injuries is also stressed. In this context the European road towards safer work in the healthcare sector is discussed. The legal acts, currently functioning in the EU, including Council Directive 2010/32/EU of 10 May 2010, are described. The Directive implements the Framework Agreement on prevention from sharp injuries in the hospital and healthcare sector concluded by the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers' Association (HOSPEEM) and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU). The arguments for the universal implementation of legal acts, protecting medical staff in all EU Member States, are pointed out. As far as Poland is concerned, a great need for an urgent action mobilising all social partners (i.e., nurses, doctors, other employees at potential risk of acquiring an occupational infection, employers, professional organisations and scientific bodies) to develop relevant regulations and to assure sufficient funds for their broad implementation is underlined.

Mapping the Teaching of Laboratory Animal Science and Medicine in the European Union and European Free Trade Area.

PubMed

Iatridou, Despoina; Nagy, Zsuzsanna; De Briyne, Nancy; Saunders, Jimmy; Bravo, Ana

2018-06-13

Developing a common market and allowing free movement of goods, services, and people is one of the main objectives of the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Area. In the field of scientific research, Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes aims to improve the welfare of laboratory animals by following the principle of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement). Each breeder, supplier, and user must appoint a designated veterinarian to advise on the well-being and treatment of the animals. In our report we investigate how the undergraduate veterinary curriculum prepares future veterinarians for the role of designated veterinarian, by analyzing data from 77 European veterinary education establishments. Over 80% of them provide training in laboratory animal science and medicine in their curriculum. All countries in the EU and the European Free Trade Area, having national veterinary schools, include such training in the curriculum of at least one of their establishments. Laboratory animal science and medicine courses can be obligatory or elective and are often part of more than one subject in the veterinary curricula. Post-graduate courses or programs are available at more than 50% of those veterinary schools. Most authorities in the European region consider graduate veterinarians ready to seek the role as designated veterinarian immediately after graduation.

Mapping support policies for informal carers across the European Union.

PubMed

Courtin, Emilie; Jemiai, Nadia; Mossialos, Elias

2014-10-01

At a time when health and social care services in European countries are under pressure to contain or cut costs, informal carers are relied upon as the main providers of long-term care. However, still little is known about the availability of direct and indirect support for informal carers across the European Union. Primary data collection in all EU member states was supplemented with an extensive review of the available literature. Various forms and levels of support have been implemented across Europe to facilitate the role of informal caregivers. Financial support is the most common type of support provided, followed by respite care and training. Most countries do not have a process in place to systematically identify informal carers and to assess their needs. Policies are often at an early stage of development and the breadth of support varies significantly across the EU. Policy developments are uneven across the member states, with some countries having mechanisms in place to assess the needs and support informal carers while others are only starting to take an interest in developing support services. Given the unprecedented challenges posed by population ageing, further research and better data are needed to capture and monitor information on informal carers, to help design adequate support policies and eventually to evaluate their impact across the EU. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling the Impacts of EU Bioenergy Demand on the Forest Sector of the Southeast U.S.

Treesearch

Rafal Chudy; Robert C. Abt; Frederick W. Cubbage; Ragnar Jonsson; Jeffrey P. Prestemon

2013-01-01

The wood-pellet trade between the U.S. (United States) and the EU (European Union) has increased substantially recently. This research analyzes the effects of EU biomass imports from the Southeast U.S. on Southeast U.S. timber prices, inventories and production and on EU imports of feedstock. The SRTS (sub-regional timber supply model) was used to simulate market...

Inequalities in suicide rates in the European Union's elderly: trends and impact of macro-socioeconomic factors between 1980 and 2006.

PubMed

Innamorati, Marco; Tamburello, Antonino; Lester, David; Amore, Mario; Girardi, Paolo; Tatarelli, Roberto; Pompili, Maurizio

2010-04-01

To study suicide rates in elderly people in the former European Community, known as the European Union (EU) since late 1993, to identify differences between early members (admitted to the EU before 2004) and new members (admitted after 2004), and to evaluate the association between macro-socioeconomic variables and suicide rates. We explored temporal trends in age-adjusted suicide rates for people aged 65 years and older residing in the EU from 1980 to 2006. In the years examined in the study, there has been a general decrease in suicide rates in new and early members of the EU, although more slowly for elderly men than for women. The decrease in suicide rates of citizens aged 65 years and older was associated with a small but significant difference between new and early members of the EU (RR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.05; z = 11.95, P < 0.001). The macro-socioeconomic indices were strongly associated with age-adjusted suicide rates in EU senior citizens, except unemployment rates. Deaths by suicide in elderly people are declining in all EU nations, but inequalities in the suicide rates of men and women remain, especially in new EU members.

Prevention and control of childhood asthma and allergy in the EU from the public health point of view: Polish Presidency of the European Union

PubMed Central

Samoliński, B; Fronczak, A; Kuna, P; Akdis, C A; Anto, J M; Bialoszewski, A Z; Burney, P G; Bush, A; Czupryniak, A; Dahl, R; Flood, B; Galea, G; Jutel, M; Kowalski, M L; Palkonen, S; Papadopoulos, N; Raciborski, F; Sienkiewicz, D; Tomaszewska, A; Mutius, E; Willman, D; Włodarczyk, A; Yusuf, O; Zuberbier, T; Bousquet, J; Niggemann, Bodo

2012-01-01

The leading priority for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union was to reduce health inequalities across European societies, and, within its framework, prevention and control of respiratory diseases in children. This very important paper contain proposal of international cooperation on the prevention, early detection and monitoring of asthma and allergic diseases in childhood which will be undertaken by the EU member countries as a result of EU conclusion developed during the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This will result in collaboration in the field of chronic diseases, particularly respiratory diseases, together with the activity of the network of national institutions and NGOs in this area. Paper also contains extensive analysis of the socio-economic, political, epidemiological, technological and medical factors affecting the prevention and control of childhood asthma and allergy presented during Experts presidential conference organized in Warsaw-Ossa 21–22 September 2011. PMID:22540290

Hepatitis C: The beginning of the end-key elements for successful European and national strategies to eliminate HCV in Europe.

PubMed

Papatheodoridis, G V; Hatzakis, A; Cholongitas, E; Baptista-Leite, R; Baskozos, I; Chhatwal, J; Colombo, M; Cortez-Pinto, H; Craxi, A; Goldberg, D; Gore, C; Kautz, A; Lazarus, J V; Mendão, L; Peck-Radosavljevic, M; Razavi, H; Schatz, E; Tözün, N; van Damme, P; Wedemeyer, H; Yazdanpanah, Y; Zuure, F; Manns, M P

2018-03-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem in the European Union (EU). An estimated 5.6 million Europeans are chronically infected with a wide range of variation in prevalence across European Union countries. Although HCV continues to spread as a largely "silent pandemic," its elimination is made possible through the availability of the new antiviral drugs and the implementation of prevention practices. On 17 February 2016, the Hepatitis B & C Public Policy Association held the first EU HCV Policy Summit in Brussels. This summit was an historic event as it was the first high-level conference focusing on the elimination of HCV at the European Union level. The meeting brought together the main stakeholders in the field of HCV: clinicians, patient advocacy groups, representatives of key institutions and regional bodies from across European Union; it served as a platform for one of the most significant disease elimination campaigns in Europe and culminated in the presentation of the HCV Elimination Manifesto, calling for the elimination of HCV in Europe by 2030. The launch of the Elimination Manifesto provides a starting point for action in order to make HCV and its elimination in Europe an explicit public health priority, to ensure that patients, civil society groups and other relevant stakeholders will be directly involved in developing and implementing HCV elimination strategies, to pay particular attention to the links between hepatitis C and social marginalization and to introduce a European Hepatitis Awareness Week. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Politics and Policies of Promoting Multilingualism in the European Union

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romaine, Suzanne

2013-01-01

This article examines the politics of policies promoting multilingualism in the European Union (EU), specifically in light of the recently released European Union Civil Society Platform on Multilingualism. As the most far-reaching and ambitious policy document issued by the European Commission, the Platform warrants close scrutiny at a significant…

78 FR 60368 - Determination Regarding Waiver of Discriminatory Purchasing Requirements With Respect to Goods...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-01

... Purchasing Requirements With Respect to Goods and Services of a New Member State of the European Union...-9646. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The European Union (``EU'') is a party to the World Trade Organization....S. obligations under the GPA, I hereby determine that: 1. The European Union, including the Republic...

What can the World Health Organization learn from EU lessons in civil society engagement and participation for health?

PubMed

Battams, Samantha

2014-01-01

This article explores challenges for and the development of civil society engagement and stakeholder representation, transparency, and accountability measures in the European Union, with a specific focus on health policy. The stance of the European Union on stakeholder participation within reform debates of the World Health Organization (WHO) is also considered, along with EU lessons for multi-stakeholders at the WHO. The European Commission has developed a number of measures for stakeholder engagement and transparency; however, the European Union has been prone to lobbying interests and has found difficulty in leading and making accountable the private sector when it comes to achieving its own health policy goals. The strong influence of corporate lobbyists on the European Union has come to light, with concerns about a lack of transparency and accountability in decision-making processes. While the WHO could learn from the European Union in terms of its strategies for stakeholder engagement, it could also heed some of the important lessons for the European Union when it comes to working with a broad range of stakeholders.

Development and production of good manufacturing practice grade human embryonic stem cell lines as source material for clinical application.

PubMed

De Sousa, P A; Downie, J M; Tye, B J; Bruce, K; Dand, P; Dhanjal, S; Serhal, P; Harper, J; Turner, M; Bateman, M

2016-09-01

From 2006 to 2011, Roslin Cells Ltd derived 17 human embryonic stem cells (hESC) while developing (RCM1, RC-2 to -8, -10) and implementing (RC-9, -11 to -17) quality assured standards of operation in a facility operating in compliance with European Union (EU) directives and United Kingdom (UK) licensure for procurement, processing and storage of human cells as source material for clinical application, and targeted to comply with an EU Good Manufacturing Practice specification. Here we describe the evolution and specification of the facility, its operation and outputs, complementing hESC resource details communicated in Stem Cell Research Lab Resources. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union’s Common Security and Defense Policy: Intersecting Trajectories

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cmsUpload/78367.pdf. 23. Gustav Lindstrom , “Enter the EU Battlegroups,” Chaillot Paper, No. 97, February 2007, Paris, France: EU...individual human be- ing is our Benchmark. U.S. ARMY WAR COLLEGE Major General Gregg F. Martin Commandant ***** STRATEGIC STUDIES INSTITUTE Director

EU Strategies to Encourage Youth Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Higher Education in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karanassios, Nikolaos; Pazarskis, Michail; Mitsopoulos, Konstantinos; Christodoulou, Petros

2006-01-01

The authors present and discuss significant aspects of youth entrepreneurship in the European Union (EU) and, especially, in higher education institutions in Greece. The structure of this paper is as follows. First, the study introduces a conceptual basis for entrepreneurship as defined in the EU and looks at entrepreneurship in the context of…

The Integration of Immigrants Into the Labour Markets of the EU. IAB Labour Market Research Topics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Werner, Heinz

Integration of foreign workers into European Union (EU) labor markets was evaluated. Three indicators of labor market integration were analyzed: unemployment rate, employment rate, and self- employment rate. Results were drawn from the Labor Force Survey data compiled by Eurostat. Findings indicated that, in all EU countries, the unemployment rate…

Bulletin on Women and Employment in the EU. 1994-1996.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulletin on Women and Employment in the EU, 1996

1996-01-01

These six bulletins examine various aspects of women's employment in the European Union (EU). In the first bulletin, the different positions of women in the labor markets of the individual EU member countries are demonstrated to mirror the roles of women in each country's family and welfare system. The problems of unemployment and underemployment…

Selective Prevention: Addressing Vulnerability to Problem Drug Use in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkhart, Gregor; Gyarmathy, V. Anna; Bo, Alessandra

2011-01-01

Following the 2003 publication of the European Union (EU) Council Recommendations and the 2005-2008 and 2009-2012 EU Drugs Action Plans, increasing attention has been given in EU member states' drug policies to populations that are vulnerable to problem drug use (PDU). Monitoring data reported to the EMCDDA by designated agencies from 30 countries…

Prevalence of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in the European Union.

PubMed

Willey, Cynthia J; Blais, Jaime D; Hall, Anthony K; Krasa, Holly B; Makin, Andrew J; Czerwiec, Frank S

2017-08-01

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease, but estimates of its prevalence vary by >10-fold. The objective of this study was to examine the public health impact of ADPKD in the European Union (EU) by estimating minimum prevalence (point prevalence of known cases) and screening prevalence (minimum prevalence plus cases expected after population-based screening). A review of the epidemiology literature from January 1980 to February 2015 identified population-based studies that met criteria for methodological quality. These examined large German and British populations, providing direct estimates of minimum prevalence and screening prevalence. In a second approach, patients from the 2012 European Renal Association‒European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry and literature-based inflation factors that adjust for disease severity and screening yield were used to estimate prevalence across 19 EU countries (N = 407 million). Population-based studies yielded minimum prevalences of 2.41 and 3.89/10 000, respectively, and corresponding estimates of screening prevalences of 3.3 and 4.6/10 000. A close correspondence existed between estimates in countries where both direct and registry-derived methods were compared, which supports the validity of the registry-based approach. Using the registry-derived method, the minimum prevalence was 3.29/10 000 (95% confidence interval 3.27-3.30), and if ADPKD screening was implemented in all countries, the expected prevalence was 3.96/10 000 (3.94-3.98). ERA-EDTA-based prevalence estimates and application of a uniform definition of prevalence to population-based studies consistently indicate that the ADPKD point prevalence is <5/10 000, the threshold for rare disease in the EU. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA.

An exploratory analysis of the factors leading to delays in cancer drug reimbursement in the European Union: the trastuzumab case.

PubMed

Ades, Felipe; Senterre, Chistelle; Zardavas, Dimitrios; de Azambuja, Evandro; Popescu, Razvan; Parent, Florence; Piccart, Martine

2014-12-01

The European Union (EU) has adopted a common procedure for granting marketing authorisation for cancer drugs. Nevertheless, pricing and reimbursement decisions are a competency of EU national governments, and their policies are diverse. We aimed to evaluate the time for trastuzumab reimbursement approval and its association to health expenditure, to health policy performance, to the availability of cost-effectiveness studies and to breast cancer outcome. Breast cancer outcome was estimated by the mortality/incidence (M/I) ratio. Trastuzumab reimbursement approval dates were provided by Roche. Spearman's rank correlation and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used to evaluate associations and/or differences between the variables studied. Additional analyses were made by grouping countries according to compliance to the 180 day timeframe stipulated in the EU 89/105/EEC Directive for drug pricing and reimbursement. A statistically significant inverse and strong correlation between breast cancer M/I ratio and health expenditure (r(s)=-0.730, p<0.001) and health policy performance (r(s)=-0.711, p<0.001) was found, meaning the better the score and the higher the expenditure, the fewer patients died after a breast cancer diagnosis. Factors associated with trastuzumab faster reimbursement and compliance to the 89/105/EEC Directive were better health policy score, higher health expenditure and availability of cost-effectiveness studies. Higher health policy scores and health expenditure are associated with faster reimbursement of trastuzumab and better breast cancer outcome. Although the study design does not allow inference of causal associations, a marked difference is observed between Eastern and Western Europe, with long delays and increased breast cancer mortality identified in Eastern European countries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Assessment of Coherence Between Early Warning and Response Systems and Serious Cross-Border Health Threats in the European Union and Turkey.

PubMed

Ekmekci, Perihan Elif

2016-12-01

Disease outbreaks have attracted the attention of the public health community to early warning and response systems (EWRS) for communicable diseases and other cross-border threats to health. The European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have published regulations in this area. Decision 1082/2013/EU brought a new approach the management of public health threats in EU member states. Decision 1082/2013/EU brought several innovations, which included establishing a Health Security Committee; preparedness and response planning; joint procurement of medical countermeasures; ad hoc monitoring for biological, chemical, and environmental threats; EWRS; and recognition of an emergency situation and interoperability between various sectors. Turkey, as an acceding country to the EU and a member of the WHO, has been improving its national public health system to meet EU legislations and WHO standards. This article first explains EWRS as defined in Decision 1082/2013/EU and Turkey's obligations to align its public health laws to the EU acquis. EWRS in Turkey are addressed, particularly their coherence with EU policies regarding preparedness and response, alert notification, and interoperability between health and other sectors. Finally, the challenges and limitations of the current Turkish system are discussed and further improvements are suggested. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:883-892).

Support for international trade law: The US and the EU compared

PubMed Central

Eckhardt, Jappe; Elsig, Manfred

2015-01-01

In this article we compare United States and European Union support for bilateral and multilateral international trade law. We assess the support for international law of both trading blocs by focusing on the following four dimensions: leadership, consent, compliance and internalization. Although we find strong support for international trade law from both the US and the EU in general, we also witness some variation, most notably in relation to the design of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) and compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) law. Turning to explaining these (moderate) differences, we argue that outcomes in US trade policy can best be explained by a domestic political factor, namely the direct influence of interest groups. Although the involvement of societal interests also goes a long way in explaining EU behavior, it does not tell the entire story. We posit that, in EU trade policy, institutions are a particular conditioning factor that needs to be stressed. Moreover, we suggest that foreign policy considerations in managing trade relations have characterized EU’s support for international trade law. PMID:27867316

The future market in electricity in the Czech Republic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vacik, J.

1998-07-01

The Czech Republic has signed the Association Agreement with the European Union in early nineties and it has been the Republic's goal to accede to full membership in the European Union. In the power sector, the Directive 96/92/EC is, in this respect, the most important document. The Czech Energy Law was become effective from 1995 in a compromise form which proved to stay well short of perfection. Unfortunately, a number of articles and provisions fail to be consistent with the relevant EU documents, and even far less so with Directive 96/92/EC. The draft Energy Policy of the Czech Republic asmore » presented officially in May 1997, has already definitely stressed some basic features of the future market in electricity. Regrettably, also in the draft Energy Policy some pressing long-term problems fail to be recognized or addressed and also areas failing to conform with the European power industry laws can be found in it. For the Czech Republic, it will be useful to utilize the experience of mainly the smaller EU countries and to proceed in pursuance of the findings of a thorough analysis and in a stepwise manner. In the first phase, it will be enough to make those moves which are common for all the conceivable solutions. Directive 96/92/EC does not prescribe a change in the structure of the existing electric power sector and far less any change in the ownership relation. In the same token, Directive 96/92/EC does not charge the member states with any duty to launch a wholesale market in electricity (pool of exchange). That is reserved under the discretion of the member states. Nowhere throughout the Directive is encountered any requirement to reduce the market strength of the dominant entities, if such exist.« less

Is tuberculosis crossing borders at the Eastern boundary of the European Union?

PubMed Central

van der Werf, Marieke J.; Hollo, Vahur; Noori, Teymur

2013-01-01

Background: The Eastern border of the European Union (EU) consists of 10 countries after the expansion of the EU in 2004 and 2007. These 10 countries border to the East to countries with high tuberculosis (TB) notification rates. We analyzed the notification data of Europe to quantify the impact of cross-border TB at the Eastern border of the EU. Methods: We used TB surveillance data of 2010 submitted by 53 European Region countries to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Notified TB cases were stratified by origin of the case (national/foreign). We calculated the contribution of foreign to overall TB notification. Results: In the 10 EU countries located at the EU Eastern border, 618 notified TB cases (1.7% of all notified TB cases) were of foreign origin. Of those 618 TB cases, 173 (28.0%) were from countries bordering the EU to the East. More specifically, 90 (52.0%) were from Russia, 33 (19.1%) from Belarus, 33 (19.1%) from Ukraine, 13 (7.5%) from Moldova and 4 (2.3%) from Turkey. Conclusions: Currently, migrants contribute little to TB notifications in the 10 EU countries at the Eastern border of the EU, but changes in migration patterns may result in an increasing contribution. Therefore, EU countries at the Eastern border of the EU should strive to provide prompt diagnostic services and adequate treatment of migrants. PMID:23813718

Comparing pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Croatia to the European Union Member States.

PubMed

Vogler, Sabine; Habl, Claudia; Bogut, Martina; Voncina, Luka

2011-04-15

To perform a comparative analysis of the pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement systems in Croatia and the 27 European Union (EU) Member States. Knowledge about the pharmaceutical systems in Croatia and the 27 EU Member States was acquired by literature review and primary research with stakeholders. Pharmaceutical prices are controlled at all levels in Croatia, which is also the case in 21 EU Member States. Like many EU countries, Croatia also applies external price referencing, i.e., compares prices with other countries. While the wholesale remuneration by a statutorily regulated linear mark-up is applied in Croatia and in several EU countries, the pharmacy compensation for dispensing reimbursable medicines in the form of a flat rate service fee in Croatia is rare among EU countries, which usually apply a linear or regressive pharmacy mark-up scheme. Like in most EU countries, the Croatian Social Insurance reimburses specific medicines at 100%, whereas patients are charged co-payments for other reimbursable medicines. Criteria for reimbursement include the medicine's importance from the public health perspective, its therapeutic value, and relative effectiveness. In Croatia and in many EU Member States, reimbursement is based on a reference price system. The Croatian pharmaceutical system is similar to those in the EU Member States. Key policies, like external price referencing and reference price systems, which have increasingly been introduced in EU countries are also applied in Croatia and serve the same purpose: to ensure access to medicines while containing public pharmaceutical expenditure.

Reduction in undiagnosed HIV infection in the European Union/European Economic Area, 2012 to 2016.

PubMed

van Sighem, Ard; Pharris, Anastasia; Quinten, Chantal; Noori, Teymur; Amato-Gauci, Andrew J

2017-11-01

It is well-documented that early HIV diagnosis and linkage to care reduces morbidity and mortality as well as HIV transmission. We estimated the median time from HIV infection to diagnosis in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) at 2.9 years in 2016, with regional variation. Despite evidence of a decline in the number of people living with undiagnosed HIV in the EU/EEA, many remain undiagnosed, including 33% with more advanced HIV infection (CD4 < 350 cells/mm3).

Reduction in undiagnosed HIV infection in the European Union/European Economic Area, 2012 to 2016

PubMed Central

van Sighem, Ard; Pharris, Anastasia; Quinten, Chantal; Noori, Teymur; Amato-Gauci, Andrew J

2017-01-01

It is well-documented that early HIV diagnosis and linkage to care reduces morbidity and mortality as well as HIV transmission. We estimated the median time from HIV infection to diagnosis in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) at 2.9 years in 2016, with regional variation. Despite evidence of a decline in the number of people living with undiagnosed HIV in the EU/EEA, many remain undiagnosed, including 33% with more advanced HIV infection (CD4 < 350 cells/mm3). PMID:29208159

Municipal solid waste development phases: Evidence from EU27.

PubMed

Vujić, Goran; Gonzalez-Roof, Alvaro; Stanisavljević, Nemanja; Ragossnig, Arne M

2015-12-01

Many countries in the European Union (EU) have very developed waste management systems. Some of its members have managed to reduce their landfilled waste to values close to zero during the last decade. Thus, European Union legislation is very stringent regarding waste management for their members and candidate countries, too. This raises the following questions: Is it possible for developing and developed countries to comply with the European Union waste legislation, and under what conditions? How did waste management develop in relation to the economic development in the countries of the European Union? The correlation between waste management practices and economic development was analysed for 27 of the European Union Member States for the time period between 1995 and 2007. In addition, a regression analysis was performed to estimate landfilling of waste in relation to gross domestic product for every country. The results showed a strong correlation between the waste management variables and the gross domestic product of the EU27 members. The definition of the municipal solid waste management development phases followed a closer analysis of the relation between gross domestic product and landfilled waste. The municipal solid waste management phases are characterised by high landfilling rates at low gross domestic product levels, and landfilling rates near zero at high gross domestic product levels. Hence the results emphasize the importance of wider understanding of what is required for developing countries to comply with the European Union initiatives, and highlight the importance of allowing developing countries to make their own paths of waste management development. © The Author(s) 2015.

76 FR 8337 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Survey of Participating Companies in the U.S...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-14

... Request; Survey of Participating Companies in the U.S.-European Union and U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor... Trade Administration (ITA) administers the U.S.-European Union (EU) and U.S.- Swiss Safe Harbor Frameworks. These Frameworks allow U.S. companies to meet the requirements of the European Union's Data...

Regulatory Regionalism and Education: The European Union in Central Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Peter

2010-01-01

This paper investigates the purchase which Jayasuriya's regulatory regionalism approach offers for an analysis of the European Union's engagement in Central Asia. The European Union has a clearly articulated strategy through which to pursue what it sees as its interests in Central Asia and the development of a range of EU-Central Asia education…

Reluctant to Learn? The Use of Evaluation to Improve EU Cohesion Policy Implementation in Polish and Spanish Regions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wojtowicz, Dominika Maria; Kupiec, Tomasz

2018-01-01

For many European Union (EU) member states, the Cohesion Policy (CP) was the channel through which the practice of evaluation was transmitted into domestic administration. Studies have shown that the EU member countries differ in terms of their evaluation capacity and activity. None of those studies, however, addresses regional governments, which…

Minority Language Rights before and after the 2004 EU Enlargement: The Copenhagen Criteria in the Baltic States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adrey, Jean-Bernard

2005-01-01

This paper examines the effect of the recent European Union (EU) enlargement on minority language policies in the Baltic states, and in particular in Latvia and Estonia. I first look at the so-called Copenhagen political criteria conditioning EU accession and at the European Commission's monitoring system for assessing applicant countries'…

Internet Effects in Times of Political Crisis: Online Newsgathering and Attitudes toward the European Union.

PubMed

Baccini, Leonardo; Sudulich, Laura; Wall, Matthew

2016-01-01

This paper evaluates the influence of online news consumption on attitudes toward the European Union in a context of protracted economic crisis. Using data from the 2011 Irish National Election Study, we combine location-specific information on broadband availability with respondent geo-location data, which facilitates causal inference about the effects of online news consumption via instrumental variable models. Results show that Irish citizens who source political information online are more prone to blame the EU for the poor state of the economy than those who do not. There is evidence of preference reinforcement among those with negative predispositions toward the EU, but not among pro-EU citizens. We complement this analysis with a study of voting behavior in the European Fiscal Compact Referendum, employing a similar methodological approach. The results from this second survey confirm the anti-EU influence of online news consumption among Irish citizens, although evidence suggests a pro-EU effect among voters who browsed the website of the politically neutral Irish Referendum Commission. Our paper contributes to the literature on public opinion, the EU, and political attitudes in times of crisis.

Quantitative risk assessment for the introduction of African swine fever virus into the European Union by legal import of live pigs.

PubMed

Mur, L; Martínez-López, B; Martínez-Avilés, M; Costard, S; Wieland, B; Pfeiffer, D U; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

2012-04-01

The recent incursion and spread of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in the Russian Federation and Caucasus region, close to European Union (EU) borders, have increased the concerns regarding the probability of ASFV introduction into the EU. There are many potential routes of ASFV entry into EU, but here we specifically aimed to assess the probability of ASFV introduction by legal trade of pigs, which historically has been one of the most important ways of exotic diseases introduction into the EU. A stochastic model was used to estimate the monthly probability of ASFV introduction for each country of the EU. Results of this model suggest an annual probability for ASFV introduction in the whole EU by this way of 5.22*10(-3) , which approximately corresponds with one outbreak in 192years. The risk of ASFV introduction via live pigs was highest in Poland (69%), particularly during the months of November and December. As expected, Russian Federation is the country that most contributes to this risk, representing 68% of the overall annual risk. Methods and results presented here may be useful for informing risk-based surveillance and control programmes and, ultimately, for prevention and control of potential ASFV incursions into the EU. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Losses of Ammonia and Nitrate from Agriculture and Their Effect on Nitrogen Recovery in the European Union and the United States between 1900 and 2050.

PubMed

van Grinsven, Hans J M; Bouwman, Lex; Cassman, Kenneth G; van Es, Harold M; McCrackin, Michelle L; Beusen, Arthur H W

2015-03-01

Historical trends and levels of nitrogen (N) budgets and emissions to air and water in the European Union and the United States are markedly different. Agro-environmental policy approaches also differ, with emphasis on voluntary or incentive-based schemes in the United States versus a more regulatory approach in the European Union. This paper explores the implications of these differences for attaining long-term policy targets for air and water quality. Nutrient surplus problems were more severe in the European Union than in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. The EU Nitrates and National Emission Ceilings directives contributed to decreases in fertilizer use, N surplus, and ammonia (NH) emissions, whereas in the United States they stabilized, although NH emissions are still increasing. These differences were analyzed using statistical data for 1900-2005 and the global IMAGE model. IMAGE could reproduce NH emissions and soil N surpluses at different scales (European Union and United States, country and state) and N loads in the Rhine and Mississippi. The regulation-driven changes during the past 25 yr in the European Union have reduced public concerns and have brought agricultural N loads to the aquatic environment closer to US levels. Despite differences in agro-environmental policies and agricultural structure (more N-fixing soybean and more spatially separated feed and livestock production in the United States than in the European Union), current N use efficiency in US and EU crop production is similar. IMAGE projections for the IAASTD-baseline scenario indicate that N loading to the environment in 2050 will be similar to current levels. In the United States, environmental N loads will remain substantially smaller than in the European Union, whereas agricultural production in 2050 in the United States will increase by 30% relative to 2005, as compared with an increase of 8% in the European Union. However, in the United States, even rigorous mitigation with maximum recycling of manure N and a 25% reduction in fertilizer use will not achieve the policy target to halve the N export to the Gulf of Mexico. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Legal frameworks and key concepts regulating diversion and treatment of mentally disordered offenders in European Union member states.

PubMed

Dressing, Harald; Salize, Hans Joachim; Gordon, Harvey

2007-10-01

There is only limited research on the various legal regulations governing assessment, placement and treatment of mentally ill offenders in European Union member states (EU-member states). To provide a structured description and cross-boundary comparison of legal frameworks regulating diversion and treatment of mentally disordered offenders in EU-member states before the extension in May 2004. A special focus is on the concept of criminal responsibility. Information on legislation and practice concerning the assessment, placement and treatment of mentally ill offenders was gathered by means of a detailed, structured questionnaire which was filled in by national experts. The legal regulations relevant for forensic psychiatry in EU-member states are outlined. Definitions of mental disorders given within these acts are introduced and compared with ICD-10 diagnoses. Finally the application of the concept of criminal responsibility by the law and in routine practice is presented. Legal frameworks for the processing and placement of mentally disordered offenders varied markedly across EU-member states. Since May 2004 the European Union has expanded to 25 member states and in January 2007 it will reach 27. With increasing mobility across Europe, the need for increasing trans-national co-operation is becoming apparent in which great variation in legal tradition pertains.

Improving cancer control in the European Union: conclusions from the Lisbon round-table under the Portuguese EU Presidency, 2007.

PubMed

Gouveia, Joaquim; Coleman, Michel P; Haward, Robert; Zanetti, Roberto; Hakama, Matti; Borras, Josep Maria; Primic-Zakelj, Maja; de Koning, Harry J; Travado, Luzia

2008-07-01

Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the European Union (EU), and a public health burden. Improving cancer control in the EU will require implementation of efficient strategies within Member States and better policy coordination between them. In cooperation between the rotating EU Presidencies of Germany (2007), Portugal (2007) and Slovenia (2008), special attention was devoted to an integrated approach to cancer control in EU policies and programmes. A round-table focussed on national cancer plans, population-based cancer registries and cancer screening programmes was held during the Health Strategies in Europe meeting in Lisbon in July 2007, under the Portuguese Presidency. These three topics were selected as critical for improving cancer control at both national and European levels. The round-table was designed to produce a set of recommendations to inform EU cancer policy. This paper provides a résumé of the conclusions and recommendations, to stimulate wider discussion and policy development. The conclusions of the meeting were presented at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in December 2007 and cancer was included in the Council Conclusions for the new European Health Strategy. Success in cancer control will require consistent attention from future EU Presidencies, such as the initiative of the Slovenian EU Presidency in early 2008.

Development and testing of a European Union-wide farm-level carbon calculator

PubMed Central

Tuomisto, Hanna L; De Camillis, Camillo; Leip, Adrian; Nisini, Luigi; Pelletier, Nathan; Haastrup, Palle

2015-01-01

Direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture accounted for approximately 10% of total European Union (EU) emissions in 2010. To reduce farming-related GHG emissions, appropriate policy measures and supporting tools for promoting low-C farming practices may be efficacious. This article presents the methodology and testing results of a new EU-wide, farm-level C footprint calculator. The Carbon Calculator quantifies GHG emissions based on international standards and technical specifications on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and C footprinting. The tool delivers its results both at the farm level and as allocated to up to 5 main products of the farm. In addition to the quantification of GHG emissions, the calculator proposes mitigation options and sequestration actions that may be suitable for individual farms. The results obtained during a survey made on 54 farms from 8 EU Member States are presented. These farms were selected in view of representing the diversity of farm types across different environmental zones in the EU. The results of the C footprint of products in the data set show wide range of variation between minimum and maximum values. The results of the mitigation actions showed that the tool can help identify practices that can lead to substantial emission reductions. To avoid burden-shifting from climate change to other environmental issues, the future improvements of the tool should include incorporation of other environmental impact categories in place of solely focusing on GHG emissions. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2015;11:404–416. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. Key Points The methodology and testing results of a new European Union-wide, farm-level carbon calculator are presented. The Carbon Calculator reports life cycle assessment-based greenhouse gas emissions at farm and product levels and recommends farm- specific mitigation actions. Based on the results obtained from testing the tool in 54 farms in 8 European countries, it was found that the product-level carbon footprint results are comparable with those of other studies focusing on similar products. The results of the mitigation actions showed that the tool can help identify practices that can lead to substantial emission reductions. PMID:25655187

Pharmacology and Therapeutics Education in the European Union Needs Harmonization and Modernization: A Cross-sectional Survey Among 185 Medical Schools in 27 Countries.

PubMed

Brinkman, D J; Tichelaar, J; Okorie, M; Bissell, L; Christiaens, T; Likic, R; Mačìulaitis, R; Costa, J; Sanz, E J; Tamba, B I; Maxwell, S R; Richir, M C; van Agtmael, M A

2017-11-01

Effective teaching in pharmacology and clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) is necessary to make medical students competent prescribers. However, the current structure, delivery, and assessment of CPT education in the European Union (EU) is unknown. We sent an online questionnaire to teachers with overall responsibility for CPT education in EU medical schools. Questions focused on undergraduate teaching and assessment of CPT, and students' preparedness for prescribing. In all, 185 medical schools (64%) from 27 EU countries responded. Traditional learning methods were mainly used. The majority of respondents did not provide students with the opportunity to practice real-life prescribing and believed that their students were not well prepared for prescribing. There is a marked difference in the quality and quantity of CPT education within and between EU countries, suggesting that there is considerable scope for improvement. A collaborative approach should be adopted to harmonize and modernize the undergraduate CPT education across the EU. © 2017 The Authors Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Flexible work hours, health and well-being in the European Union: preliminary data from a SALTSA project.

PubMed

Costa, G; Akerstedt, T; Nachreiner, F; Baltieri, F; Folkard, S; Frings Dresen, M; Gadbois, C; Gartner, J; Grzech Sukalo, H; Harma, M; Kandolin, I; Silverio, J; Simoes, A

2001-12-01

Demand for flexible work hours (FWH) is increasing in Europe aimed at increasing the number of production hours on one hand, and, on the other, reducing individual working hours and/or increasing autonomy and control on them. In view of the lack of knowledge of the effects of FWH on health and safety, we started a pilot project, funded by the Joint Programme for Working Life Research in Europe (SALTSA), aimed at: a) comparing the most relevant national legislation and how the EU Directive 93/104 "concerning certain aspects of working time" has been implemented in the member States; b) reporting prevalence and trend of FWH in Europe according to the three EU Surveys on Working Conditions carried out in the last decade; c) collecting practical examples of innovative FWH; d) evaluating their impact on health and safety in relation to work sectors, job demands, social life, aging and gender. Consequent actions are going to include information and consultancy for pertinent authorities and social parties involved, as well as training programmes for Union officials and similar groups concerning the organisation of FWH according to ergonomic principles.

77 FR 68196 - Notice of Applications for Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity and Foreign Air...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-15

... carrier permit to enable GSS, consistent with the open skies, U.S.-European Union (``EU'') Air Transport... point or points behind any Member State of the European Union, via any point or points in any Member... European Union carriers in the future. GSS also requests (i) exemption authority, to the extent necessary...

Political Strategies and Language Policies: The European Union Lisbon Strategy and Its Implications for the EU's Language and Multilingualism Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krzyzanowski, Michal; Wodak, Ruth

2011-01-01

This paper explores the interplay between the politics and policies of multilingualism by looking at the role of political macro-strategies in shaping language and multilingualism policies within the European Union. The paper focuses on the relationship between the European Union's 2000-2010 Lisbon Strategy on the European Knowledge-Based Economy…

Europeanisation of health systems: a qualitative study of domestic actors in a small state.

PubMed

Azzopardi-Muscat, Natasha; Sorensen, Kristine; Aluttis, Christoph; Pace, Roderick; Brand, Helmut

2016-04-14

Health systems are not considered to be significantly influenced by European Union (EU) policies given the subsidiarity principle. Yet, recent developments including the patients' rights and cross-border directive (2011/24 EU), as well as measures taken following the financial crisis, appear to be increasing the EU's influence on health systems. The aim of this study is to explore how health system Europeanisation is perceived by domestic stakeholders within a small state. A qualitative study was conducted in the Maltese health system using 33 semi-structured interviews. Inductive analysis was carried out with codes and themes being generated from the data. EU membership brought significant public health reforms, transformation in the regulation of medicines and development of specialised training for doctors. Health services financing and delivery were primarily unaffected. Stakeholders positively perceived improvements to the policy-making process, networking opportunities and capacity building as important benefits. However, the administrative burden and the EU's tendency to adopt a 'one size fits all' approach posed considerable challenges. The lack of power and visibility for health policy at the EU level is a major disappointment. A strong desire exists for the EU to exercise a more effective role in ensuring access to affordable medicines and preventing non-communicable diseases. However, the EU's interference with core health system values is strongly resisted. Overall domestic stakeholders have a positive outlook regarding their health system Europeanisation experience. Whilst welcoming further policy developments at the EU level, they believe that improved consideration must be given to the specificities of small health systems.

Metal recovery by bioleaching of sulfidic mining wastes — Application to a European case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guézennec, A. G.; Jacob, J.; Joulian, C.; Dupraz, S.; Menard, Y.; d'Hugues, P.

The non-energy extractive industry (NEEI) of the EU-25 generated a direct turnover of about €40 billion, and provided employment to about 250000 people in 16629 companies in 2004. The use of primary raw materials in the production of other branches of EU industry means they have a central role in guaranteeing industrial and economic sustainability. Nevertheless current demand exceeds production, and so the EU is heavily dependent on minerals and metals imports. In this context of securing access to metals, turning mining wastes into new resources of currently unexploited valuable metals is an important challenge. The mining wastes can contain base and precious metals, but also metalloids and rare earth elements that are nowadays considered as highly critical for the industrial development of the European Union. Nevertheless, the development of alternative routes to conventional processing is still required in order to decrease the cost associated to the treatment of these unconventional resources which are more complex in composition and with lower grades.

The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: A "Magnum Opus" or an Incomplete "Modus Vivendi?"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soldat-Jaffe, Tatjana

2015-01-01

This article investigates to what extent the European Union (EU) has the means to protect minority and regional languages in the EU, looking at the ways three different bodies of the EU, the European Parliament (EP), the Council of Europe (CoE) and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) differ in handling language…

Human Resources Policies Compared: What Can the EU and the USA Learn from Each Other?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tome, Eduardo

2005-01-01

Purpose: To compare in a fruitful way the human resources (HR) policies that exist in the European Union (EU) and in the United States of America (USA). Nowadays, the world is evolving to a situation in which big economic spaces like Brazil, Russia, India, China, Japan, the EU and the USA are becoming dominant. Those spaces can learn from one…

IPTS/ESTO Studies on Reforms of Agriculture, Education and Social Systems within the Context of Enlargement and Demographic Change in the EU. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2002

This document summarizes a comparative analysis of the interconnections between technological and socioeconomic developments in agriculture and rural development, human capital formation, and social systems in the 13 candidate countries (CCs) for admission into the European Union (EU) and in the 15 countries of the EU. Specific topics considered…

The future of European health policies.

PubMed

Koivusalo, Meri Tuulikki

2005-01-01

The role of the European Union in health policies is changing. The European social model is under threat due to shifts in E.U. policies on liberalization of service provision, limited public budgets, a focus on the health sector as a productive sector in the context of broader European policies and the Lisbon strategy, and changes in the context of the new Constitutional Treaty. These changes are evident in a new reflection paper on European health strategy and its focus. E.U. health policies are at a critical juncture. The danger is that the current processes will lead European health policies and the health systems of member states more in the direction of U.S. health policies and the commercialization of health systems than toward improvement of the current situation.

Economic Burden of Bladder Cancer Across the European Union.

PubMed

Leal, Jose; Luengo-Fernandez, Ramon; Sullivan, Richard; Witjes, J Alfred

2016-03-01

More than 120,000 people are diagnosed annually with bladder cancer in the 28 countries of the European Union (EU). With >40,000 people dying of it each year, it is the sixth leading cause of cancer. However, to date, no systematic cost-of-illness study has assessed the economic impact of bladder cancer in the EU. To estimate the annual economic costs of bladder cancer in the EU for 2012. Country-specific cancer cost data were estimated using aggregate data on morbidity, mortality, and health care resource use, obtained from numerous international and national sources. Health care costs were estimated from expenditures on primary, outpatient, emergency, and inpatient care, as well as medications. Costs of unpaid care and lost earnings due to morbidity and early death were estimated. Bladder cancer cost the EU €4.9 billion in 2012, with health care accounting for €2.9 billion (59%) and representing 5% of total health care cancer costs. Bladder cancer accounted for 3% of all cancer costs in the EU (€143 billion) in 2012 and represented an annual health care cost of €57 per 10 EU citizens, with costs varying >10 times between the country with the lowest cost, Bulgaria (€8 for every 10 citizens), and highest cost, Luxembourg (€93). Productivity losses and informal care represented 23% and 18% of bladder cancer costs, respectively. The quality and availability of comparable cancer-related data across the EU need further improvement. Our results add to essential public health and policy intelligence for delivering affordable bladder cancer care systems and prioritising the allocation of public research funds. We looked at the economic costs of bladder cancer across the European Union (EU). We found bladder cancer to cost €4.9 billion in 2012, with health care accounting for €2.9 billion. Our study provides data that can be used to inform affordable cancer care in the EU. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Unmastered Past: Latvia and Russia After NATO and EU Enlargement: Bilateral Issues of Statecraft 2003-2006

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

relations, World War II, Waffen SS, NATO, European Union, the Abrene district, occupation, state continuity, international relations, foreign policy. 16...Latvian legion of Waffen SS. The chapter argues that the negative attitude of Russian foreign policy makers derives directly from the perception...the role and importance of two divisions of Waffen SS known as the “Latvian Legion” probably has been the most intense and still is one of the most

Comparing pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement policies in Croatia to the European Union Member States

PubMed Central

Vogler, Sabine; Habl, Claudia; Bogut, Martina; Vončina, Luka

2011-01-01

Aim To perform a comparative analysis of the pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement systems in Croatia and the 27 European Union (EU) Member States. Methods Knowledge about the pharmaceutical systems in Croatia and the 27 EU Member States was acquired by literature review and primary research with stakeholders. Results Pharmaceutical prices are controlled at all levels in Croatia, which is also the case in 21 EU Member States. Like many EU countries, Croatia also applies external price referencing, ie, compares prices with other countries. While the wholesale remuneration by a statutorily regulated linear mark-up is applied in Croatia and in several EU countries, the pharmacy compensation for dispensing reimbursable medicines in the form of a flat rate service fee in Croatia is rare among EU countries, which usually apply a linear or regressive pharmacy mark-up scheme. Like in most EU countries, the Croatian Social Insurance reimburses specific medicines at 100%, whereas patients are charged co-payments for other reimbursable medicines. Criteria for reimbursement include the medicine’s importance from the public health perspective, its therapeutic value, and relative effectiveness. In Croatia and in many EU Member States, reimbursement is based on a reference price system. Conclusion The Croatian pharmaceutical system is similar to those in the EU Member States. Key policies, like external price referencing and reference price systems, which have increasingly been introduced in EU countries are also applied in Croatia and serve the same purpose: to ensure access to medicines while containing public pharmaceutical expenditure. PMID:21495202

Implications of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union for Croatian health care system.

PubMed

Ostojić, Rajko; Bilas, Vlatka; Franc, Sanja

2012-09-01

The Republic of Croatia's accession to the European Union (EU) will affect all segments of economy and society, including the health care system. The aim of this paper is to establish the potential effects of joining the EU on Croatian health care, as well as to assess its readiness to enter this regional economic integration. The paper identifies potential areas of impact of EU accession on Croatian health care and analyzes the results of the conducted empirical research. In this research, a method of in-depth interviews was applied on a sample of 49 subjects; health professionals from public and private sectors, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, drug wholesalers, and non-governmental organisations (patient associations). Once Croatia joins the EU, it will face: new rules and priorities in line with the current European health strategy; the possibilities of drawing funds from European cohesion funds; labour migrations; new guidelines on patient safety and mobility. From the aspect of harmonising national regulations with EU regulations in the area of health care, Croatian system can be assessed as ready to enter the EU. Croatia's accession to the EU can result in a better information flow, growth of competitiveness of Croatian health care system, enhanced quality, inflow of EU funds, development of health tourism, but also in increased migration of health care professionals, and potential increase in the cost of health care services. Functioning within the EU framework might result in adaptation to the EU standards, but it could also result in the concentration of staff and institutions in larger cities.

The impact of the Nitrates Directive on nitrogen emissions from agriculture in the EU-27 during 2000-2008.

PubMed

Velthof, G L; Lesschen, J P; Webb, J; Pietrzak, S; Miatkowski, Z; Pinto, M; Kros, J; Oenema, O

2014-01-15

A series of environmental policies have been implemented in the European Union (EU) to decrease nitrogen (N) emissions from agriculture. The Nitrates Directive (ND) is one of the main policies; it aims to reduce nitrate leaching from agriculture through a number of measures. A study was carried out to quantify the effects of the ND in the EU-27 on the leaching and runoff of nitrate (NO3(-)) to groundwater and surface waters, and on the emissions of ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) and dinitrogen (N2) to the atmosphere. We formulated a scenario with and a scenario without implementation of the ND. The model MITERRA-Europe was used to calculate N emissions on a regional level in the EU-27 for the period 2000-2008. The calculated total N loss from agriculture in the EU-27 was 13 Mton N in 2008, with 53% as N2, 22% as NO3, 21% as NH3, 3% as N2O, and 1% as NO(x). The N emissions and leaching in the EU-27 slightly decreased in the period 2000-2008. Total emissions in the EU in 2008 were smaller with implementation of the ND than without the ND, by 3% for NH3, 6% for N2O, 9% for NO(x), and 16% for N leaching and runoff in 2008. However, regional differences were large. The lower emissions with ND were mainly due to the lower N inputs by fertilizers and manures. In conclusion, implementation of the ND decreased both N leaching losses to ground and surface waters, and gaseous emissions to the atmosphere. It is expected that the ND will result in a further decrease in N emissions in EU-27 in the near future, because the implementation of the measures for the ND is expected to become more strict. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Health law and policy in the European Union.

PubMed

Greer, Scott L; Hervey, Tamara K; Mackenbach, Johan P; McKee, Martin

2013-03-30

From its origins as six western European countries coming together to reduce trade barriers, the European Union (EU) has expanded, both geographically and in the scope of its actions, to become an important supranational body whose policies affect almost all aspects of the lives of its citizens. This influence extends to health and health services. The EU's formal responsibilities in health and health services are limited in scope, but, it has substantial indirect influence on them. In this paper, we describe the institutions of the EU, its legislative process, and the nature of European law as it affects free movement of the goods, people, and services that affect health or are necessary to deliver health care. We show how the influence of the EU goes far beyond the activities that are most visible to health professionals, such as research funding and public health programmes, and involves an extensive body of legislation that affects almost every aspect of health and health care.

Evidence based policy making in the European Union: the role of the scientific community.

PubMed

Majcen, Špela

2017-03-01

In the times when the acquis of the European Union (EU) has developed so far as to reach a high level of technical complexity, in particular in certain policy fields such as environmental legislation, it is important to look at what kind of information and data policy decisions are based on. This position paper looks at the extent to which evidence-based decision-making process is being considered in the EU institutions when it comes to adopting legislation in the field of environment at the EU level. The paper calls for closer collaboration between scientists and decision-makers in view of ensuring that correct data is understood and taken into consideration when drafting, amending, negotiating and adopting new legal texts at all levels of the EU decision-making process. It concludes that better awareness of the need for such collaboration among the decision-makers as well as the scientific community would benefit the process and quality of the final outcomes (legislation).

Concept of sustainable waste management in the city of Zagreb: Towards the implementation of circular economy approach.

PubMed

Ribić, Bojan; Voća, Neven; Ilakovac, Branka

2017-02-01

Improvement of the current waste management is one of the main challenges for most municipalities in Croatia, mainly due to legal obligations set in different European Union (EU) directives regarding waste management, such as reduction of waste generation and landfilling, or increase of separately collected waste and recycling rates. This paper highlights the current waste management in the city of Zagreb by analyzing the waste generation, collection, and disposal scenario along with the regulatory and institutional framework. Since the present waste management system mainly depends upon landfilling, with the rate of separate waste collection and recycling far from being adequate, it is necessary to introduce a new system that will take into account the current situation in the city as well as the obligations imposed by the EU. Namely, in the coming years, the Waste Framework and Landfill Directives of the European Union will be a significant driver of change in waste management practices and governance of the city of Zagreb. At present, the yearly separate waste collection makes somewhat less than 5 kg per capita of various waste fractions, i.e., far below the average value for the (28) capital cities of the EU, which is 108 kg per capita. This is possible to achieve only by better and sustainable planning of future activities and facilities, taking into account of environmental, economic, and social aspects of waste management. This means that the city of Zagreb not only will have to invest in new infrastructure to meet the targets, but also will have to enhance public awareness in diverting this waste at the household level. The solution for the new waste management proposed in this paper will certainly be a way of implementing circular economy approach to current waste management practice in the city of Zagreb. Municipal waste management in the developing countries in the EU (new eastern EU members) is often characterized by its limited utilization of recycling activities, inadequate management of nonindustrial hazardous waste, and inadequate landfill disposal. Many cities in Eastern Europe and Zagreb as well are facing serious problems in managing municipal wastes due to the existing solid waste management system that is found to be highly inefficient. The proposed scenario for city of Zagreb in the paper is an innovative upgrading of municipal waste management based on the waste management hierarchy and circular economy approach.

ETF Work Programme, 2003.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Training Foundation, Turin (Italy).

This document describes the proposed 2003 activities of the European Training Foundation (ETF) to support vocational education and training reform in non-European Union (EU) countries in the context of the EU's external relations program. The activities listed cover these four main groups of countries across three continents: the Mediterranean…

Health professional mobility in the European Union: Exploring the equity and efficiency of free movement.

PubMed

Glinos, Irene A

2015-12-01

The WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel is a landmark in the health workforce migration debate. Yet its principles apply only partly within the European Union (EU) where freedom of movement prevails. The purpose of this article is to explore whether free mobility of health professionals contributes to "equitably strengthen health systems" in the EU. The article proposes an analytical tool (matrix), which looks at the effects of health professional mobility in terms of efficiency and equity implications at three levels: for the EU, for destination countries and for source countries. The findings show that destinations as well as sources experience positive and negative effects, and that the effects of mobility are complex because they change, overlap and are hard to pin down. The analysis suggests that there is a risk that free health workforce mobility disproportionally benefits wealthier Member States at the expense of less advantaged EU Member States, and that mobility may feed disparities as flows redistribute resources from poorer to wealthier EU countries. The article argues that the principles put forward by the WHO Code appear to be as relevant within the EU as they are globally. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Tuberculosis treatment outcome monitoring in European Union countries: systematic review

PubMed Central

van Hest, Rob; Ködmön, Csaba; Verver, Suzanne; Erkens, Connie G.M.; Straetemans, Masja; Manissero, Davide; de Vries, Gerard

2013-01-01

Treatment success measured by treatment outcome monitoring (TOM) is a key programmatic output of tuberculosis (TB) control programmes. We performed a systematic literature review on national-level TOM in the 30 European Union (EU)/European Economic Areas (EEA) countries to summarise methods used to collect and report data on TOM. Online reference bibliographic databases PubMed/MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched to identify relevant indexed and non-indexed literature published between January 2000 and August 2010. The search strategy resulted in 615 potentially relevant indexed citations, of which 27 full-text national studies (79 data sets) were included for final analysis. The selected studies were performed in 10 EU/EEA countries and gave a fragmented impression of TOM in the EU/EEA. Publication year, study period, sample size, databases, definitions, variables, patient and outcome categories, and population subgroups varied widely, portraying a very heterogeneous picture. This review confirmed previous reports of considerable heterogeneity in publications of TOM results across EU/EEA countries. PubMed/MEDLINE and EMBASE indexed studies are not a suitable instrument to measure representative TOM results for the 30 EU/EEA countries. Uniform and complete reporting to the centralised European Surveillance System will produce the most timely and reliable results of TB treatment outcomes in the EU/EEA. PMID:22790913

Regulating medicines in Europe: the European Medicines Agency, marketing authorisation, transparency and pharmacovigilance.

PubMed

Permanand, Govin; Mossialos, Elias; McKee, Martin

2006-01-01

Following a review process lasting almost four years, and culminating in several pieces of new European legislation, adjustments have been made to the European Union's (EU) regulatory framework for pharmaceuticals. The European Commission laid out its priorities for the review as: simplifying the authorisation system, ensuring a high quality of public health, completing the internal market in medicines, and preparing for the enlargement of the Union. Amongst the most important changes brought about by the new rules are those relating to the European drug approval procedures, the functions and operational transparency of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), and the EU's pharmacovigilance system. This article provides a brief examination of key elements of these changes, and considers the extent to which they serve the goal of improved public health protection within the EU.

Freedom of movement vs. exclusion: a reinterpretation of the "insider"-"outsider" divide in the European Union.

PubMed

Ugur, M

1995-01-01

"This article argues that the question of free movement vs. exclusion within the European Union (EU) can be addressed satisfactorily only if we move away from the narrow state-centrism inherent in the current debate. What is required is to 'open' the state concept and examine the implications of state-society relations for EU policy making. Once this is done, it can be seen that the exclusionist stance of the immigration policy and the essentially intergovernmental nature of the policy making are due to an implicit contract between states and constituents implied by the concepts of nationality and citizenship. According to this perspective, the focus on the state or the political elite alone is too one-sided and misses the more complex factors bearing upon EU policy making in this area." excerpt

EU sales ban on new cosmetics tested on animals: impact on alternative methods, WTO implications and animal welfare aspects.

PubMed

Ruhdel, Irmela W

2004-06-01

In 1993, the European Union (EU) adopted Directive 93/35/EEC, calling for a sales ban on new cosmetic products containing ingredients tested on animals after 1 January, 1998, provided that alternative methods had been developed by then. In May 2000, for the second time, the European Commission postponed that ban. The Commission justified the repeated postponement of the sales ban by saying that no animal-free methods were available, although three in vitro methods were scientifically approved in 1997. With three years delay, these methods have been published and therefore "made available" in the EU. OECD acceptance is still awaited. Another reason for the postponement was the fear of possible World Trade Organisation (WTO) conflicts. However, according to WTO rules, the protection of public morality or animal health could justify a restriction of the free trade principle. From the animal welfare point of view, an unqualified EU sales ban, combined with an animal testing ban, would provide the incentive to further promote the development and acceptance of alternative methods and to prove that ethical standards are legitimate concerns under WTO rules.

Biosafety and Biosecurity in European Containment Level 3 Laboratories: Focus on French Recent Progress and Essential Requirements.

PubMed

Pastorino, Boris; de Lamballerie, Xavier; Charrel, Rémi

2017-01-01

Even if European Union (EU) Member States are obliged to implement EU Directives 2000/54/EC on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work , national biosafety regulations and practices varied from country to country. In fact, EU legislation on biological agents and genetically modified microorganisms is often not specific enough to ensure harmonization leading to difficulties in implementation for most laboratories. In the same way, biosecurity is a relatively new concept and a few EU Member States are known to have introduced national laboratory biosecurity legislation. In France, recent regulations have reinforced biosafety/biosecurity in containment level 3 (CL-3) laboratories but they concern a specific list of pathogens with no correlation in other European Members States. The objective of this review was to summarize European biosafety/biosecurity measures concerning CL-3 facilities focusing on French specificities. Essential requirements needed to preserve efficient biosafety measures when manipulating risk group 3 biological agents are highlighted. In addition, International, European and French standards related to containment laboratory planning, operation or biosafety equipment are described to clarify optimal biosafety and biosecurity requirements.

Biosafety and Biosecurity in European Containment Level 3 Laboratories: Focus on French Recent Progress and Essential Requirements

PubMed Central

Pastorino, Boris; de Lamballerie, Xavier; Charrel, Rémi

2017-01-01

Even if European Union (EU) Member States are obliged to implement EU Directives 2000/54/EC on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work, national biosafety regulations and practices varied from country to country. In fact, EU legislation on biological agents and genetically modified microorganisms is often not specific enough to ensure harmonization leading to difficulties in implementation for most laboratories. In the same way, biosecurity is a relatively new concept and a few EU Member States are known to have introduced national laboratory biosecurity legislation. In France, recent regulations have reinforced biosafety/biosecurity in containment level 3 (CL-3) laboratories but they concern a specific list of pathogens with no correlation in other European Members States. The objective of this review was to summarize European biosafety/biosecurity measures concerning CL-3 facilities focusing on French specificities. Essential requirements needed to preserve efficient biosafety measures when manipulating risk group 3 biological agents are highlighted. In addition, International, European and French standards related to containment laboratory planning, operation or biosafety equipment are described to clarify optimal biosafety and biosecurity requirements. PMID:28620600

European Union emission inventory report 1990-2008 : under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-07-01

This report describes the EU27 emission trends for : a number of air pollutants for the period 19902008. : An improved gap-filling methodology used in : compiling this year's EU27 emission inventory : means that for the first time a complete...

European Industrial Doctorates: Marie Curie Actions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Commission, 2012

2012-01-01

European industrial doctorates are joint doctoral training projects funded by the European Union (EU) and open to all research fields. The project brings together an academic participant (university, research institution, etc.) and a company. They have to be established in two different EU Member States or associated countries. Associated partners…

An update on Phytophthora ramorum in European nurseries

Treesearch

David Slawson; Jennie Blackburn; Lynne Bennett

2008-01-01

Emergency phytosanitary measures to prevent the introduction into and spread within the European Union (EU) of Phytophthora ramorum Werres, De Cock & Man in 't Veld. have been in place since 2002. Surveillance across the EU, has confirmed the presence of P. ramorum on nurseries and retailers in 15 member states. ...

Multilingualism among Brussels-Based Civil Servants and Lobbyists: Perceptions and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krizsán, Attila; Erkkilä, Tero

2014-01-01

This article explores the multilingual and multicultural aspects of community-building, networking and communication in the European Union's (EU) political and administrative system. We investigated the networking and communicative preferences of EU civil servants and lobbyists using survey data and thematic interviews. Our aim was to gain a…

Quantitative risk assessment model of canine rabies introduction: application to the risk to the European Union from Morocco.

PubMed

Napp, S; Casas, M; Moset, S; Paramio, J L; Casal, J

2010-11-01

Although rabies incidence in humans in Western Europe is low, the repeated importation of rabid animals from enzootic areas threatens the rabies-free status of terrestrial animals and challenges the public health systems in this area. Most rabid animals imported into the European Union (EU) in recent years came from Morocco. The aim of this study was to develop a probabilistic risk assessment model to estimate the probability of rabies introduction, which was applied to the risk to the EU from dogs coming from Morocco. The mean annual probability of rabies introduction was 0.21 (90% CI 0.02-0.65). The pathways that contributed the most to this probability were: (a) EU citizens who adopted a dog in Morocco (59% of the total probability) and (b) EU citizens who travelled with their dog to Morocco by ferry (34% of the total probability). The model showed a marked seasonality in the risk of rabies with almost 40% of the annual probability occurring during the months of July and August. The application of stricter border controls (assuming 100% compliance) would result in a >270-fold reduction in the likelihood of rabies introduction into the EU from Morocco.

Herbal medicines: challenges in the modern world. Part 2. European Union and Russia.

PubMed

Sammons, Helen M; Gubarev, Michael I; Krepkova, Lubov V; Bortnikova, Valentina V; Corrick, Fenella; Job, Kathleen M; Sherwin, Catherine Mt; Enioutina, Elena Y

2016-08-01

Herbal medicines (HMs) have been well known to people of the European Union (EU) and Russia for centuries. Currently, Western HMs can be classified into two categories, plant-derived conventional medicines and dietary supplements. Interest to HMs has grown rapidly in all countries during the past two decades. The main goal of this review article is to present the history of HMs in the EU and Russia, forms of modern HMs, including Oriental Medicines that are popular among consumers of both countries. Additional discussion points comprise safety and adulteration issues associated with HMs, including regulatory changes and new legislative measures undertaken by the authorities. Materials available from legislative and governmental websites, PubMed and news media were used. Expert commentary: Due to cultural diversities in the EU and Russia, traditional HMs of other regions, particularly Chinese Traditional and Ayurvedic medicines, are also popular. Recently, dietary supplements containing multiple herbal and other natural products have flooded the EU and Russian markets. Pharmacovigilance in these markets is challenging in terms of establishing quality and safety of ingredients, determining efficacy, and defining risks of herb-herb and herb-drug interactions. Both the EU and Russia have introduced new legislation aimed to overcome these deficiencies.

Human migration and pig/pork import in the European Union: What are the implications for Taenia solium infections?

PubMed

Gabriël, S; Johansen, M V; Pozio, E; Smit, G S A; Devleesschauwer, B; Allepuz, A; Papadopoulos, E; van der Giessen, J; Dorny, P

2015-09-30

Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis is a neglected zoonotic disease complex occurring primarily in developing countries. Though claimed eradicated from the European Union (EU), an increasing number of human neurocysticercosis cases is being detected. Risk factors such as human migration and movement of pigs/pork, as well as the increasing trend in pig rearing with outside access are discussed in this review. The entry of a tapeworm carrier into the EU seems a lot more plausible than the import of infected pork. The establishment of local transmission in the EU is presently very unlikely. However, considering the potential changes in risk factors, such as the increasing trend in pig farming with outdoor access, the increasing human migration from endemic areas into the EU, this situation might change, warranting the establishment of an early warning system, which should include disease notification of taeniasis/cysticercosis both in human and animal hosts. As currently human-to-human transmission is the highest risk, prevention strategies should focus on the early detection and treatment of tapeworm carriers, and should be designed in a concerted way, across the EU and across the different sectors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tuberculosis control in big cities and urban risk groups in the European Union: a consensus statement.

PubMed

van Hest, N A; Aldridge, R W; de Vries, G; Sandgren, A; Hauer, B; Hayward, A; Arrazola de Oñate, W; Haas, W; Codecasa, L R; Caylà, J A; Story, A; Antoine, D; Gori, A; Quabeck, L; Jonsson, J; Wanlin, M; Orcau, Å; Rodes, A; Dedicoat, M; Antoun, F; van Deutekom, H; Keizer, St; Abubakar, I

2014-03-06

In low-incidence countries in the European Union (EU), tuberculosis (TB) is concentrated in big cities, especially among certain urban high-risk groups including immigrants from TB high-incidence countries, homeless people, and those with a history of drug and alcohol misuse. Elimination of TB in European big cities requires control measures focused on multiple layers of the urban population. The particular complexities of major EU metropolises, for example high population density and social structure, create specific opportunities for transmission, but also enable targeted TB control interventions, not efficient in the general population, to be effective or cost effective. Lessons can be learnt from across the EU and this consensus statement on TB control in big cities and urban risk groups was prepared by a working group representing various EU big cities, brought together on the initiative of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The consensus statement describes general and specific social, educational, operational, organisational, legal and monitoring TB control interventions in EU big cities, as well as providing recommendations for big city TB control, based upon a conceptual TB transmission and control model.

Blood Versus Land: The Comparative Foundations for Citizenship and Voting Rights in Germany and Sweden

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

the political process. This thesis will examine how two major immigrant destination states within the European Union extend voting rights to...PAGES 77 14. SUBJECT TERMS Germany, Sweden, European Union , Voting rights, Franchise, Citizenship, Immigration, Immigrant, Migration, Nationalism 16...within the European Union extend voting rights to immigrants from outside the EU. These will be Germany and Sweden. The thesis concludes that the

European regulation model for herbal medicine: The assessment of the EU monograph and the safety and efficacy evaluation in marketing authorization or registration in Member States.

PubMed

Qu, Liping; Zou, Wenjun; Wang, YiTao; Wang, Mei

2018-03-15

The European Union (EU) has created a regulatory framework for herbal medicinal products (HMPs) since the enforcement of Directive 2004/24/EC. Substantial achievements have been made, with 1719 traditional use marketing registrations (TURs) and 859 well-established use marketing authorizations (WEU-MAs) for HMPs granted by the end of 2016. Apparently, the European regulation model has worked out well and in that the essential feature is the use of EU herbal monographs into those granted WEU-MAs and TURs. A systematic analysis of the European regulation model for HMPs and the EU herbal monograph's part of this model are undertaken to assist understanding of the EU legislation particularly for interested parties those from outside EU area, and afterwards, to help in decision-making in the HMPs registration in European market for pharmaceutical companies, as well as in the establishment of legislation in countries with strong traditional use of herbal remedies. A search of PubMed, ScienceDirect, the European Medicines Agency website and the Heads of Medicines Agencies website was conducted (up to December 2017), and the available information on regulation of HMPs in the EU was collected. The evaluation of applications by National Competent Authorities (NCAs) at a national level together with the assessment of EU monographs by the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) at the European level constitute the European regulation framework for HMPs. As the scientific opinion about the safety and efficacy of HMPs from HMPC, the EU herbal monographs have been given a constitutional-based meaning to the TURs and WEU-MAs of HMPs and play a supportive function in the marketing procedure in Member States. The European framework has provided a powerful regulation model for harmonization of scientific assessment and facilitation of product marketing. For the pharmaceutical industries particularly those outside the EU, optimal use of the EU herbal monograph in their marketing procedure in Europe could be of great benefit. Furthermore, this model is well worth learning from for other countries and regions outside the EU to help the establishment of legislation in countries with strong traditional use of herbal remedies and contribute to the safe use of traditional herbal medicine. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

EU Failing FAO Challenge to Improve Global Food Security.

PubMed

Smyth, Stuart J; Phillips, Peter W B; Kerr, William A

2016-07-01

The announcement that the European Union (EU) had reached an agreement allowing Member States (MS) to ban genetically modified (GM) crops confirms that the EU has chosen to ignore the food security challenge issued to the world by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2009. The FAO suggests that agricultural biotechnology has a central role in meeting the food security challenge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integration and Disintegration: A Political Geography of the European Union.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Fiona M.

1997-01-01

Describes the somewhat contradictory movements towards political and economic integration and political decentralization in the European Union (EU). Discusses the implications of those trends for the future of the sovereign state, specifically for Spain, France, and the United Kingdom. Maintains that political power is being wrested away from core…

Regulatory impediments jeopardizing the conduct of clinical trials in Europe funded by the National Institutes of Health

PubMed Central

Neaton, James D; Babiker, Abdel; Bohnhorst, Mark; Darbyshire, Janet; Denning, Eileen; Frishman, Arnie; Grarup, Jesper; Larson, Gregg; Lundgren, Jens

2011-01-01

Background A number of reports have highlighted problems of conducting publicly funded trials in Europe as a consequence of the European Union (EU) Clinical Trials Directive. The impact of the EU Directive on multi-national trials, which include sites in Europe that are funded by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) have not been described. Methods Four problems in the conduct of two international HIV treatment trials funded by NIH in the EU are described: (1) conflicting regulations on the continuing review of protocols by Institutional Review Boards/Research Ethics Committees; (2) US regulations requiring Federalwide Assurances for sites which are only partially funded by NIH; (3) EU guidance on the designation of studies as a trial of an investigational medicinal product; and (4) EU guidance on trial sponsorship and the requirements for insurance and indemnification. Following the description of the problems, recommendations for improving global collaborations are made to the US Office of Human Research Protections, to NIH, and to the EU and its Member States. Results A lack of harmonization of regulations at multiple levels caused enrollment in one study to be interrupted for several months and delayed for one year the initiation of another study aimed at obtaining definitive evidence to guide the timing of the initiation of antiretroviral therapy for individuals infected with HIV. The delays and the purchase of insurance resulted in substantial increases in trial costs and caused substantial disruption at clinical sites among staff and study participants. Limitations The problems cited and recommendations made pertain to trials funded by NIH and conducted by sites in the EU. There are many other challenges in the conduct of international research, public and private, that global harmonization would alleviate. Conclusions Disharmony, at multiple levels, in international regulations and guidelines is stifling publicly funded global research. International scientific organizations and government groups should make the documentation and solution of these problems a priority. PMID:20729252

The use of community herbal monographs to facilitate registrations and authorisations of herbal medicinal products in the European Union 2004-2012.

PubMed

Peschel, Wieland

2014-12-02

The provisions for the simplified registration of traditional herbal medicinal products in the European Union were introduced by Directive 2004/24/EC amending Directive 2001/83/EC (Chapter 2a) in 2004. Since implementation in the European member states until December 2012 a total of 1015 registrations (traditional use) and 514 authorisations (well-established use) have been granted for products containing substances/ preparations from about 200 different herbal drugs. The overall number of received applications with more than one third still under assessment suggests a further increase for the next years. This review summarises the main features of registered and authorised herbal medicinal products in the EU and evaluates available data against provisions of Directive 2004/24/EC and European standards established by the Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products at the European Medicines Agency. The supportive function of Community herbal monographs is described as regards availability and their use in national procedures, which is complemented by an analysis of specific future challenges from experiences made with the implementation of Directive 2004/24/EC so far. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Assumptions in the European Union biofuels policy: frictions with experiences in Germany, Brazil and Mozambique.

PubMed

Franco, Jennifer; Levidow, Les; Fig, David; Goldfarb, Lucia; Hönicke, Mireille; Mendonça, Maria Luisa

2010-01-01

The biofuel project is an agro-industrial development and politically contested policy process where governments increasingly become global actors. European Union (EU) biofuels policy rests upon arguments about societal benefits of three main kinds - namely, environmental protection (especially greenhouse gas savings), energy security and rural development, especially in the global South. Each argument involves optimistic assumptions about what the putative benefits mean and how they can be fulfilled. After examining those assumptions, we compare them with experiences in three countries - Germany, Brazil and Mozambique - which have various links to each other and to the EU through biofuels. In those case studies, there are fundamental contradictions between EU policy assumptions and practices in the real world, involving frictional encounters among biofuel promoters as well as with people adversely affected. Such contradictions may intensify with the future rise of biofuels and so warrant systematic attention.

European Union's public fishing access agreements in developing countries.

PubMed

Le Manach, Frédéric; Chaboud, Christian; Copeland, Duncan; Cury, Philippe; Gascuel, Didier; Kleisner, Kristin M; Standing, André; Sumaila, U Rashid; Zeller, Dirk; Pauly, Daniel

2013-01-01

The imperative to increase seafood supply while dealing with its overfished local stocks has pushed the European Union (EU) and its Member States to fish in the Exclusive Economic Zones of other countries through various types of fishing agreements for decades. Although European public fishing agreements are commented on regularly and considered to be transparent, this is the first global and historical study on the fee regime that governs them. We find that the EU has subsidized these agreements at an average of 75% of their cost (financial contribution agreed upon in the agreements), while private European business interests paid the equivalent of 1.5% of the value of the fish that was eventually landed. This raises questions of fisheries benefit-sharing and resource-use equity that the EU has the potential to address during the nearly completed reform of its Common Fisheries Policy.

Nitrogen excretion factors of livestock in the European Union: a review.

PubMed

Velthof, Gerard L; Hou, Yong; Oenema, Oene

2015-12-01

Livestock manures are major sources of nutrients, used for the fertilisation of cropland and grassland. Accurate estimates of the amounts of nutrients in livestock manures are required for nutrient management planning, but also for estimating nitrogen (N) budgets and emissions to the environment. Here we report on N excretion factors for a range of animal categories in policy reports by member states of the European Union (EU). Nitrogen excretion is defined in this paper as the total amount of N excreted by livestock per year as urine and faeces. We discuss the guidelines and methodologies for the estimation of N excretion factors by the EU Nitrates Directive, the OECD/Eurostat gross N balance guidebook, the EMEP/EEA Guidebook and the IPCC Guidelines. Our results show that N excretion factors for dairy cattle, other cattle, pigs, laying hens, broilers, sheep, and goats differ significantly between policy reports and between countries. Part of these differences may be related to differences in animal production (e.g. production of meat, milk and eggs), size/weight of the animals, and feed composition, but partly also to differences in the aggregation of livestock categories and estimation procedures. The methodologies and data used by member states are often not well described. There is a need for a common, harmonised methodology and procedure for the estimation of N excretion factors, to arrive at a common basis for the estimation of the production of manure N and N balances, and emissions of ammonia (NH3 ) and nitrous oxide (N2 O) across the EU. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Solving employment problems in the European Union: The role of energy efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiltshire, V.

1998-07-01

This paper is based on a project funded under the European Commission's SAVE (Specific Actions for Vigorous Energy Efficiency) program. The project is looking at the employment implications of energy efficiency programs, using a large number of case studies throughout the nine European Union (EU) countries participating in the project. Various modeling techniques are being used to investigate policy scenarios. The EU is particularly interested in looking at employment potential of energy efficiency at the present time. Traditionally, jobs in the environmental sector have only been seen as occurring in end-of-pipe type industries, such as pollution control; but a largemore » potential for employment opportunities has now been recognized in the energy efficiency sector. Included in the study will be a detailed discussion of the quality, as well as the quantity, of jobs created, i.e. what skill levels will be required and the types of people who would wish to undertake the work. The qualitative aspect of jobs will be looked at for their suitability for solving EU and country specific problems, such as long term unemployment of unskilled workers. This paper will present some initial results from the study and discuss the issues raised by it and by other recent work in this area. Such issues include not only the types and numbers of jobs directly created through the programs, but also indirect effects on the local, national and international economies. The negative effects, such as the reduced energy usage effect on the supply industry will also be examined.« less

Will the European Union's new tobacco tax legislation lead to reductions in smoking prevalence? Evidence from a quasi-experiment in Spain.

PubMed

López-Nicolás, Angel; Badillo-Amador, Lourdes; Cobacho-Tornel, M Belén

2013-12-01

The European Union (EU) requires member states to apply minimum taxes on manufactured cigarettes. One such tax has operated in Spain since 2006. This study evaluates the impact of this reform of the tax regime on manufactured cigarette prices and on smoking prevalence, drawing implications for European tobacco tax policy. Quasi-experimental design with treatment and control territories. We analyzed series for prices before and after the reform and used cross-sectional health surveys to implement differences-in-differences estimators for smoking prevalence. Under the minimum tax regime, prices increased three times faster in the treatment territory. However, the new regime did not affect smoking prevalence among males, either shortly after its enactment or 3 years hence. For women, we find no significant effects on prevalence in the short run, and point estimates ranging between -3.36% and -4.3% 3 years hence, although only one of these is statistically significant. The new tax regime affected cigarette prices in the intended direction. However, we find only weak evidence for a reduction in prevalence among women. The availability of cheap, fine-cut tobacco appears to be the most likely cause for the poor results in terms of smoking prevalence. EU member states that have introduced a minimum tax on manufactured cigarettes might achieve little in terms of reductions in smoking prevalence if they allow a tax gap between fine-cut tobacco and manufactured cigarettes. In this sense, it is unfortunate that EU legislation consecrates a differential treatment for the two products.

Population aging and migration - history and UN forecasts in the EU-28 and its east and south near neighborhood - one century perspective 1950-2050.

PubMed

Jakovljevic, Mihajlo Michael; Netz, Yael; Buttigieg, Sandra C; Adany, Roza; Laaser, Ulrich; Varjacic, Mirjana

2018-03-16

There is a gap in knowledge on long term pace of population aging acceleration and related net-migration rate changes in WHO European Region and its adjacent MENA countries. We decided to compare European Union (EU-28) region with the EU Near Neighborhood Policy Region East and EU Near Neighborhood Policy Region South in terms of these two essential features of third demographic transition. One century long perspective dating back to both historical data and towards reliable future forecasts was observed. United Nation's Department of Economic and Social Affairs estimates on indicators of population aging and migration were observed. Time horizon adopted was 1950-2050. Targeted 44 countries belong to either one of three regions named by EU diplomacy as: European Union or EU-28, EU Near Neighborhood Policy Region East (ENP East) and EU Near Neighborhood Policy Region South (ENP South). European Union region currently experiences most advanced stage of demographic aging. The latter one is the ENP East region dominated by Slavic nations whose fertility decline continues since the USSR Era back in late 1980s. ENP South region dominated by Arab League nations remains rather young compared to their northern counterparts. However, as the Third Demographic Transition is inevitably coming to these societies they remain the spring of youth and positive net emigration rate. Probably the most prominent change will be the extreme fall of total fertility rate (children per woman) in ENP South countries (dominantly Arab League) from 6.72 back in 1950 to medium-scenario forecasted 2.10 in 2050. In the same time net number of migrants in the EU28 (both sexes combined) will grow from - 91,000 in 1950 to + 394,000 in 2050. Long term migration from Eastern Europe westwards and from MENA region northwards is historically present for many decades dating back deep into the Cold War Era. Contemporary large-scale migrations outsourcing from Arab League nations towards rich European Protestant North is probably the peak of an iceberg in long migration routes history. However, in the decades to come acceleration of aging is likely to question sustainability of such movements of people.

Responding to "Crisis": Education Policy Research in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexiadou, Nafsika

2016-01-01

This paper discusses the significance of international and transnational developments for education policy research, with a focus on the European Union. The rise of policy projects at the EU level since 2000, has altered the relationships between the state, EU institutions and education policy, in terms of the definition of values, purposes, and…

Exploring the Social Benefits of Agri-Environment Schemes in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Jane

2012-01-01

Recent decades have seen sustainable development emerging as a core concern of European Union (EU) policy. In order to consider how policies can contribute more positively to the goals of sustainable development, major EU policies must undergo an assessment of their potential economic, environmental and social impacts. Within the agri-environment…

European Education, European Citizenship? On the Role of Education in Constructing Europeanness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ollikainen, Aaro

2000-01-01

Focuses on the role of the European Union (EU) education programs in fostering a sense of European citizenship. Addresses the five meanings given to the concept of European citizenship: (1) recognition of European heritage; (2) EU loyalty; (3) right of free movement; (4) political participation; and (5) active citizenship. (CMK)

Operation EUFOR TCHAD/RCA and the European Union’s Common Security and Defense Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

Lessons from EUFOR Tchad/RCA, March 2010. 152. For a more detailed description of the EU Battlegroups, see Gustav Lindstrom , “Enter the EU Battlegroups...Major General Gregg F. Martin Commandant ***** STRATEGIC STUDIES INSTITUTE Director Professor Douglas C. Lovelace, Jr. Director of Research Dr. Antulio J

An Ever Closer Union . . . of Linguistic Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomozeiu, Daniel

2017-01-01

The analysis carried out between October 2014 and February 2015 by a team of researchers from the University of Westminster with support from colleagues from across the EU identified the linguistic communities across the 28 EU member states as recognized (or not) by the country's legislation and the linguistic rights of these communities in…

Overview on Biofuels from a European Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponti, Luigi; Gutierrez, Andrew Paul

2009-01-01

In light of the recently developed European Union (EU) Biofuels Strategy, the literature is reviewed to examine (a) the coherency of biofuel production with the EU nonindustrial vision of agriculture, and (b) given its insufficient land base, the implications of a proposed bioenergy pact to grow biofuel crops in the developing world to meet EU…

Migrants and the Language of Instruction: Is the EU Policy Deficit Driving New Innovations in Social Inclusion?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Joe

2017-01-01

Language learning has long been seen as an important tool for achieving European Union (EU) targets for social inclusion. However, "mainstream" policy instruments like the "Action Plan on Promoting Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity" and the "European Charter for Minority Languages" have been undermined in…

Beyond Inclusion: Reconsidering Policies, Curriculum, and Pedagogy for Roma Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miskovic, Maja; Curcic, Svjetlana

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the policies and politics of including European Roma students in mainstream educational systems within the context of two European Union (EU) policies: the Decade of Roma Inclusion (2005-2015) and EU National Roma Integration Strategies (2013-2020). Drawing on the scholarship about inclusion and its practical achievements,…

Making Learning Visible: Identification, Assessment and Recognition of Non-Formal Learning in Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bjornavold, Jens

Policies and practices in the areas of identification, assessment, and recognition of nonformal learning in the European Union (EU) were reviewed. The review focused on national and EU-level experiences regarding the following areas and issues: recognition of the contextual nature of learning; identification of methodological requirements for…

An Application of the EPOSTL: Focus on Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arikan, Arda; Zorba, M. Galip

2016-01-01

Although Turkey is not a member state of the European Union (EU), educational and curricular documents produced by the EU such like the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the European Language Portfolio (the ELP) and the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL) have been examined by Turkish…

Implementation of Inquiry-Based Science Education in Different Countries: Some Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rundgren, Carl-Johan

2018-01-01

In this forum article, I reflect on issues related to the implementation of inquiry-based science education (IBSE) in different countries. Regarding education within the European Union (EU), the Bologna system has in later years provided extended coordination and comparability at an organizational level. However, the possibility of the EU to…

Challenges of Adolescent Psychology in the European Identity Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lannegrand-Willems, Lyda; Barbot, Baptiste

2015-01-01

In Europe, the question of identity and youth civic engagement constitutes a challenge both for the European Union (EU) and for research on adolescent psychology. In this article, we discuss the European historical context and the current initiatives from the EU that aim to encourage civic engagement among young people. Then, we suggest some…

Multiculturalism Is D(r)ead in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bajrektarevic, Anis

2014-01-01

There is a claim currently circulating the European Union (EU), both cynical and misleading: "multiculturalism is dead in Europe". No wonder, as the conglomerate of nation-states/EU has silently handed over one of its most important debates--that of European identity--to the left and right wing parties, recently followed by several…

Skill Mismatch: More than Meets the Eye. Briefing Note

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, 2014

2014-01-01

The global financial and economic crisis has led to alarmingly high unemployment and underemployment in many European Union (EU) countries. Yet, surveys still find that more than one in three employers has problems filling vacancies. The latest European company survey, in spring 2013, found that about 40% of firms across the EU had difficulties…

Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae: regulation in the European union

Treesearch

Stephen Hunter

2008-01-01

The history of the regulation of action against Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae in the EU and U.K. is briefly summarised. For the former there are EU controls on the import of host plants, and the internal regime of plant passporting has been extended to cover Rhododendron, Viburnum and...

[Trends concerning medical articles 1989-1998. A study of Danish articles compared to other members of the European Union].

PubMed

Jørgensen, H L; Praetorius, L; Ingwersen, P

1999-11-15

The paper analyses the development of the total number of journal articles indexed in the Medline database published by authors affiliated to Denmark 1989-1998 in medicine compared to the development in the European Union during the same period. The publication analysis is then compared to the citation impact of articles published in the central journals indexed in Science Citation Index (ISI) 1987-1996 through use of the National Science Indicators (NIS, ISI) database. The total number of Danish journal articles has remained relatively constant compared to a 50% increase in the EU as a whole. The number of Danish articles published in central journals, however, has increased by 20% (compared to 27% for the EU) and the number of citations obtained by these articles by 58% (compared to 66% for the EU) in the 1987-1996 period. By population, Denmark ranked third in total number of articles in 1998. In conclusion, Denmark is very active in medical research but neither the quantity nor the quality of Danish medical research has increased at the same rate as the EU average.

Prospects for public participation on nuclear risks and policy options: innovations in governance practices for sustainable development in the European Union.

PubMed

O'Connor, M; van den Hove, S

2001-09-14

We outline the potential participative governance and risk management in application to technological choices in the nuclear sector within the European Union (EU). Well-conducted public participation, stakeholder consultation and deliberation procedures can enhance the policy process and improve the robustness of strategies dealing with high-stakes investment and risk management challenges. Key nuclear issues now confronting EU member states are: public concern with large-scale environmental and health issues; the Chernobyl accident (and others less catastrophic) whose effect has been to erode public confidence and trust in the nuclear sector; the maturity of the nuclear plant, hence the emerging prominence of waste transportation, reprocessing and disposal issues as part of historical liability within the EU; the nuclear energy heritage of central and eastern European candidate countries to EU accession. The obligatory management of inherited technological risks and uncertainties on large temporal and geographical scales, is a novel feature of technology assessment and governance. Progress in the nuclear sector will aid the development of methodologies for technological foresight and risk governance in fields other than the nuclear alone.

Regulatory and associated political issues with respect to Bt transgenic maize in the European union.

PubMed

Saeglitz, Christiane; Bartsch, Detlef

2003-06-01

Legislation at the national level in Europe as well as that developed by the European Union (EU) generally permits release and commercialization of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). However, only 10 plant/event combinations were registered as of 2002: three maize events (Bt176, Mon810, and Bt11), with the other seven divided among carnation (3), oil-seed rape (2), tobacco (1), and raddiccio (1). Of these, only one maize event (Bt176) has been registered as a legal variety, and this was in Spain, where 22,000ha have been planted annually since 1998. In this paper, we first provide an overview on the complexity of EU GMO legislation. Then we discuss the minor role that results of EU-funded biosafety research have had on governmental policy. Finally, we provide information about initiatives for post-commercialization monitoring plans of Bt maize in Europe. As a result of the slow progress to date, we conclude that commercialization of GMOs will be seriously delayed in the EU for the next several years.

25 years of European Union (EU) quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs across EU Member States.

PubMed

Albuquerque, Tânia G; Oliveira, M Beatriz Pp; Costa, Helena S

2018-05-01

Consumers are increasingly turning their attention to the quality and origin of products that they consume. European Union (EU) quality schemes are associated with a label, which was introduced to allow consumers to perform an informed choice and to protect producers from unfair practices. This present study provides an overview of the last 25 years of EU quality schemes [Protected Designations of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) and Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (TSG)] on agricultural products and foodstuffs across the 28 EU Member States. According to the results, it was possible to conclude that Southern European countries have the highest number of registered products. The most used EU quality scheme is PGI, followed by PDO. Concerning the analysis of the evolution in the last 25 years, the number of registered products among EU Member States has increased significantly. The fruit, vegetables and cereals (fresh or processed) category is the one that accounts for the highest percentage (26.8%) of registered products, followed by cheeses and meat products (cooked, salted, smoked) categories, with 17.2% and 13.5%, respectively. Further investigations should address consumer preferences, knowledge and attitudes, especially Northern European countries with a lower number of registered products. Moreover, the investigation and registration of products should be encouraged among all EU Member States to allow the maintenance of important elements of the history, culture and heritage of the local areas, regions and countries. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Corporate coalitions and policymaking in the European Union: How and why British American Tobacco promoted ‘Better Regulation’

PubMed Central

Smith, Katherine E.; Fooks, Gary; Gilmore, Anna B.; Collin, Jeff; Weishaar, Heide

2015-01-01

Over the past fifteen years, an inter-connected set of regulatory reforms, known as Better Regulation, has been adopted across Europe, marking a significant shift in the way European Union (EU) policies are developed. There has been little exploration of the origins of these reforms, which include mandatory ex-ante impact assessment. Drawing on documentary and interview data, this paper discusses how and why large corporations, notably British American Tobacco (BAT), worked to influence and promote these reforms. Our analysis highlights: (i) how policy entrepreneurs with sufficient resources (such as large corporations) can shape the membership and direction of advocacy coalitions; (ii) the extent to which ‘think tanks’ may be prepared to lobby on behalf of commercial clients; and (iii) why regulated industries (including tobacco) may favour the use of ‘evidence-tools’, such as impact assessments, in policymaking. We argue a key aspect of BAT’s ability to shape regulatory reform involved the deliberate construction of a vaguely defined idea that could be strategically adapted to appeal to diverse constituencies. We discuss the theoretical implications of this finding for the ‘Advocacy Coalition Framework’, as well as the practical implications of the findings for efforts to promote ‘transparency’ and public health in the EU. PMID:25646389

Trends of mortality from Alzheimer's disease in the European Union, 1994-2013.

PubMed

Niu, H; Alvarez-Alvarez, I; Guillen-Grima, F; Al-Rahamneh, M J; Aguinaga-Ontoso, I

2017-06-01

In many countries, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has gradually become a common disease in elderly populations. The aim of this study was to analyse trends of mortality caused by AD in the 28 member countries in the European Union (EU) over the last two decades. We extracted data for AD deaths for the period 1994-2013 in the EU from the Eurostat and World Health Organization database. Age-standardized mortality rates per 100 000 were computed. Joinpoint regression was used to analyse the trends and compute the annual percent change in the EU as a whole and by country. Analyses by gender and by European regions were conducted. Mortality from AD has risen in the EU throughout the study period. Most of the countries showed upward trends, with the sharpest increases in Slovakia, Lithuania and Romania. We recorded statistically significant increases of 4.7% and 6.0% in mortality rates in men and women, respectively, in the whole EU. Several countries showed changing trends during the study period. According to the regional analysis, northern and eastern countries showed the steepest increases, whereas in the latter years mortality has declined in western countries. Our findings provide evidence that AD mortality has increased in the EU, especially in eastern and northern European countries and in the female population. Our results could be a reference for the development of primary prevention policies. © 2017 EAN.

Quality Assurance in Environmental Technology Verification (ETV): Analysis and Impact on the EU ETV Pilot Programme Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molenda, Michał; Ratman-Kłosińska, Izabela

2018-03-01

Many innovative environmental technologies never reach the market because they are new and cannot demonstrate a successful track record of previous applications. This fact is a serious obstacle on their way to the market. Lack of credible data on the performance of a technology causes mistrust of investors in innovations, especially from public sector, who seek effective solutions however without compromising the technical and financial risks associated with their implementation. Environmental technology verification (ETV) offers a credible, robust and transparent process that results in a third party confirmation of the claims made by the providers about the performance of the novel environmental technologies. Verifications of performance are supported by high quality, independent test data. In that way ETV as a tool helps establish vendor credibility and buyer confidence. Several countries across the world have implemented ETV in the form of national or regional programmes. ETV in the European Union was implemented as a voluntary scheme if a form of a pilot programme. The European Commission launched the Environmental Technology Pilot Programme of the European Union (EU ETV) in 2011. The paper describes the European model of ETV set up and put to operation under the Pilot Programme of Environmental Technologies Verification of the European Union. The goal, objectives, technological scope, involved entities are presented. An attempt has been made to summarise the results of the EU ETV scheme performance available for the period of 2012 when the programme has become fully operational until the first half of 2016. The study was aimed at analysing the overall organisation and efficiency of the EU ETV Pilot Programme. The study was based on the analysis of the documents the operation of the EU ETV system. For this purpose, a relevant statistical analysis of the data on the performance of the EU ETV system provided by the European Commission was carried out.

Languages and Institutions in the European Union. Mercator Working Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alcaraz, Manuel

This paper situates languages in the framework of European construction, analyzing problems resulting from the definition of languages' official status in the European Union (EU) juridical system. It explains that the process of European construction is historically defined by means of two distinct features (it is an open process, and at the same…

Vocation or Vocational? Reviewing European Union Education and Mobility Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadfield, Amelia; Summerby-Murray, Robert

2016-01-01

This article examines the role that education plays in European Union (EU) integration. We ask whether efforts which historically have been designed to endow European students with a "knowledge of Europe" in terms of an understanding of culture, politics and sensibility have been circumscribed by, or augmented, by the recently…

Europe in the Feminine: The Union of Contrasts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouder, Annie

1997-01-01

The relationship between training and the employment of women in the 12 countries of the European Union (EU) was examined. An analysis of the distribution of the female population by training levels revealed that women in the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark generally had the highest overall levels of training, whereas women in Spain and Portugal…

"Youth" Making Us Fit: On Europe as Operator of Political Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsson, Ulf; Petersson, Kenneth; Krejsler, John B.

2011-01-01

This article problematizes the construction of youth as a "driving force" in the contemporary configuration of the European Union (EU) as an educational and political space. The study draws empirical nourishment out of documents that are central to the ongoing formation of the Union, be it White Papers, scripts or memos concerning…

Maritime Spatial Planning in Cyprus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadjimitsis, Diofantos; Agapiou, Athos; Themistocleous, Kyriakos; Mettas, Christodoulos; Evagorou, Evagoras; Soulis, Giorgos; Xagoraris, Zafeiris; Pilikou, Maria; Aliouris, Kyriakos; Ioannou, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Spatial Planning is a critical tool for land management and is extensively used in all developed nations. The Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), at the European Union (EU) level, is based on Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and Council of 23rd July 2014 which establishes a common framework for MSP in the EU, which each Member State is called to apply in relation to the maritime space under its jurisdiction (marine waters). In this paper the overall results from the "Cross-Border Cooperation for the development of Marine Spatial Planning" project are presented for the area of Cyprus. A variety of activities fall within the MSP such as maritime transport routes and traffic flows, exploration, exploitation and extraction of energy resources, tourism, underwater cultural heritage etc. In addition, the legal framework, activities maps are also shown. The variety of conflicts maps for the area of Limassol are illustrated both in 2D and 3D. A hypothetical scenario of Limassol town in Cyprus as an energy center is presented based on the overall results. The paper ends with some conclusions regarding the framework of MSP in Cyprus.

Environmental assessment of microwaves and the effect of European energy efficiency and waste management legislation.

PubMed

Gallego-Schmid, Alejandro; Mendoza, Joan Manuel F; Azapagic, Adisa

2018-03-15

More than 130 million microwaves are affected by European Union (EU) legislation which is aimed at reducing the consumption of electricity in the standby mode ('Standby Regulation') and at more sustainable management of end-of-life electrical and electronic waste ('WEEE Directive'). While legislation focuses on these two life cycle stages, there is little information on the environmental impacts of the entire life cycle of microwaves. To address this gap, this paper presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment of microwaves and assesses the environmental implications of the Standby Regulation and the WEEE Directive at the EU level. The impacts are first considered at the level of individual appliances and then at the EU level, with the aim of evaluating the potential environmental implications of the full implementation of the above two EU regulations by 2020. The effects of the electricity decarbonisation and the expected increase in the number of microwaves in use have also been considered. The results suggest that implementation of the EU regulation by 2020 will reduce the environmental impacts considered by 4%-9% compared to the current situation. The majority of these reductions is due to the Standby Regulation, with the contribution of the WEEE Directive being small (~0.3%). However, the expected decarbonisation of electricity will result in much higher reductions (6%-24%) for most impact categories. The results also show that the materials used to manufacture the microwaves, the manufacturing process and end-of-life disposal are environmental hot-spots for several impacts, including depletion of abiotic elements. Therefore, efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of a future electricity mix should be combined with the development of specific eco-design regulations for microwaves that stipulate optimisation of resource consumption. Possible future trends, such as shorter lifetimes and limited availability of some resources, make the development of such product regulations more critical. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of toxic metals and phthalates in children's toys and clays.

PubMed

Korfali, Samira I; Sabra, Rayan; Jurdi, Mey; Taleb, Robin I

2013-10-01

Toxic metals and phthalates are introduced in the manufacturing of plastic toys and modeling clays. In Lebanon, inexpensive plastic toys and modeling clays (sold in dollar stores) are affordable and popular, and there is no legislation to monitor or regulate such toys. This study aimed to assess the quality of inexpensive plastic toys and modeling clays imported in Lebanon. Metal concentrations in toys, namely, zinc [not detectable (ND) to 3,708 μg/g], copper (ND to 140), chromium (ND to 75 μg/g), tin (ND to 39 μg/g), and cadmium (Cd) (ND to 20 μg/g), were lower than the European Union (EU) Directive limits, whereas lead (ND to 258 μg/g) in 10% of samples and antimony (Sb) (ND to 195 μg/g) in 5% of samples were greater than the EU limits. In modeling clays, most of the metals were lower than the EU Directive limits except for Cd and arsenic (As). Cd was detected in 83% of samples, with a mean level of 9.1 μg/g, which is far greater than the EU Directive limit (1.9 μg/g). The As mean level of 4.5 μg/g was greater than the EU limit (4.0 μg/g) and was detected in 9% of samples. Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) were found in 60% of children's toys and 77% of modeling clays. Phthalic acid butyl ester had the highest-level PAE encountered and was ≤59.1 % in one type of clay. However, among children's toys, di(4-octyl) ester terephthalic acid was the highest encountered phthalate at a concentration of 25.7%. The community survey indicated that 82% of households purchase their toys from inexpensive shops and that only 17% of parents were aware of the health hazard of such toys. Consequently, an intervention plan was proposed for the provision of safe toys to children.

Assessment of HIV molecular surveillance capacity in the European Union, 2016.

PubMed

Keating, Patrick; Pharris, Anastasia; Leitmeyer, Katrin; De Angelis, Stefania; Wensing, Annemarie; Amato-Gauci, Andrew J; Broberg, Eeva

2017-12-01

IntroductionExpanding access to HIV antiretroviral treatment is expected to decrease HIV incidence and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) mortality. However, this may also result in increased HIV drug resistance (DR). Better monitoring and surveillance of HIV DR is required to inform treatment regimens and maintain the long term effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs. As there is currently no formal European Union (EU)-wide collection of HIV DR data, this study aimed to assess the current HIV molecular surveillance capacity in EU/European Economic Area (EEA) countries in order to inform the planning of HIV DR monitoring at EU level. Methods: Thirty EU/EEA countries were invited to participate in a survey on HIV molecular surveillance capacity, which also included laboratory aspects. Results: Among 21 responding countries, 13 reported using HIV sequence data (subtype and/or DR) for surveillance purposes at national level. Of those, nine stated that clinical, epidemiological and sequence data were routinely linked for analysis. Discussion/conclusion : We identified similarities between existing HIV molecular surveillance systems, but also found important challenges including human resources, data ownership and legal issues that would need to be addressed.Information on capacities should allow better planning of the phased introduction of HIV DR surveillance at EU/EEA level.

The European Union Joint Procurement Agreement for cross-border health threats: what is the potential for this new mechanism of health system collaboration?

PubMed

Azzopardi-Muscat, Natasha; Schroder-Bäck, Peter; Brand, Helmut

2017-01-01

The Joint Procurement Agreement (JPA) is an innovative instrument for multi-country procurement of medical countermeasures against cross-border health threats. This paper aims to assess its potential performance. A literature review was conducted to identify key features of successful joint procurement programmes. Documentary analysis and a key informants' interview were carried out to analyse the European Union (EU) JPA. Ownership, equity, transparency, stable central financing, standardisation, flexibility and gradual development were identified as important prerequisites for successful establishment of multi-country joint procurement programmes in the literature while security of supply, favourable prices, reduction of operational costs and administrative burden and creation of professional expert networks were identified as desirable outcomes. The EU JPA appears to fulfil the criteria of ownership, transparency, equity, flexibility and gradual development. Standardisation is only partly fulfilled and central EU level financing is not provided. Security of supply is an important outcome for all EU Member States (MS). Price savings, reduction in administrative burden and creation of professional networks may be particularly attractive for the smaller MS. The JPA has the potential to increase health system collaboration and efficiency at EU level provided that the incentives for sustained commitment of larger MS are sufficiently attractive.

A VIEW OF TURKEY AND EUROPEAN RELATIONS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MEDICAL LEGISLATION: AN ASSESMENT OF STATE OF PLAY

PubMed Central

Ekmekçi, Perihan Elif; Arda, Berna

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to reflect the situation of health legislation alignment in Turkey in its accession process to the European Union and Customs Union Agreement, and to discuss the the EU’s health priorities of in parallel with the Turkish ones. The health legislation alignment processes consist of three titles which are: European Union alignment process, the harmonization done in the framework of membership to Council of Europe, and the obligations under the Customs Union Agreement. Significant human resources are required for the adoption of the legislations which make ethically imperative the discussion of whether there is a harmony among the priorities of both parities. Unless this harmony and paralellisim is shown, the human resources appointed for the adoption of health legislation process would not prove their efficiency and effectiveness. In this article, the Customs Union and formal negotiations for full EU membership are included in the phrase “the alignment process to European Union”. Council Decisions 1/95 and 2/97 ground on the obligations provided by the Customs Union Agreement. The reference document used to discuss the formal negotiation process for full membership to European Union is the Turkish National Program for the Adoption of the EU Acquis 2008–2013. The legislative obligations of Turkey arising from its membership of the Council of Europe, which has significant contributions to the medical legislation especially in the field of medical ethics, are also included in this article. PMID:26269696

Age determination of unaccompanied asylum seeking minors in the European Union: a health law perspective.

PubMed

Abbing, Henriette D C Roscam

2011-01-01

In the European Union, unaccompanied asylum seekers below 18 years of age are entitled to specific treatment. Age assessment practices to verify the age-statement by the asylum seeker differ between EU Member States. Medical methods in use raise questions about accuracy, reliability and safety. The medical, legal and ethical acceptability of invasive methods (notably X-rays) in particular is controversial. Human rights are at stake. The lack of common practices results in different levels of protection (discrimination). The absence ofstandardisation is an obstacle for the functioning of the Common European Asylum System. EU Best Practice Guidelines should remedy the situation; such guidelines should reflect the best interest of the child.

Support Systems for Poor Readers: Empirical Data from Six EU Member States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ise, Elena; Blomert, Leo; Bertrand, Daisy; Faisca, Luis; Puolakanaho, Anne; Saine, Nina L.; Suranyi, Zsuzsanna; Vaessen, Anniek; Csepe, Valeria; Lyytinen, Heikki; Reis, Alexandra; Ziegler, Johannes C.; Schulte-Korne, Gerd

2011-01-01

This study surveyed and compared support systems for poor readers in six member states of the European Union (EU). The goal was to identify features of effective support systems. A large-scale questionnaire survey was conducted among mainstream teachers (n = 4,210) and remedial teachers (n = 2,395). Results indicate that the six support systems…

When Corruption Gets in the Way: Befriending Diaspora and EU-nionizing Bosnia's Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabic-El-Rayess, Amra

2013-01-01

This article investigates the encounter of EU-unionization with a domesticated practice of corruption in Bosnian higher education. Relying on primary data collected in Bosnia's public higher education system, the study finds that the country's corrupt higher education is in conflict with the Bologna-themed reforms that would arguably help…

Government Expenditures on Education as the Percentage of GDP in the EU

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galetic, Fran

2015-01-01

This paper analyzes the government expenditures as the percentage of gross domestic product across countries of the European Union. There is a statistical model based on Z-score, whose aim is to calculate how much each EU country deviates from the average value. The model shows that government expenditures on education vary significantly between…

Deconstructing European Poverty Measures: What Relative and Absolute Scales Measure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkhauser, Richard V.

2009-01-01

Forster and d'Ercole (2009) outline the dominant method of conceptualization and operationalization of European poverty measures that informed the EU in its development of the questionnaire for the European Union--Survey of Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). They do so in the context of their explanation of how the Organization for Economic…

Changing Rules: A Review of Tempus Support to University Governance. A Tempus Study. Issue 01

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reilly, John; Jongsma, Ard

2010-01-01

The Tempus Programme, which funds cooperation in higher education between universities in EU Member States and a defined set of partner countries outside the European Union, is excellently positioned to support explorations into higher education governance in countries that want to draw on the developing EU experience in this field. Governance is…

Facing the Changing Demands of Europe: Integrating Entrepreneurship Education in Finnish Teacher Training Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seikkula-Leino, Jaana; Ruskovaara, Elena; Hannula, Heikki; Saarivirta, Tuija

2012-01-01

The European Union (EU) considers the learning of entrepreneurial skills to be an essential factor in creating welfare. Therefore, in the EU, one of the latest core aspects is to develop entrepreneurship education in teacher education. However, entrepreneurship education still seems to be, across the countries, a quite uncommon theme. This article…

EUROPE IN CRISIS

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-06

the only international organization that can manage the Syrian refugee security crisis causing problems for the EU from root to branch because NATO is...AIR WAR COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY EUROPE IN CRISIS By Peter Halseth, Civilian, Defense Logistics Agency A Research Report Submitted...Syrian refugee crisis and providing intelligence assistance to member countries in the European Union (EU) of foreign fighters returning from the

EU Funding and Issues of "Marketisation" of Higher Education in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gouvias, Dionysios

2011-01-01

In the last 10 years, tens of millions of euros from European Union (EU) funding have started to flow into Greece's state schools and universities. New departments of higher education have been established all over the country, and a new institutional framework for lifelong learning has been recently set up. Considering the above context, certain…

Transgenic Crops and Sustainable Agriculture in the European Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponti, Luigi

2005-01-01

The rapid adoption of transgenic crops in the United States, Argentina, and Canada stands in strong contrast to the situation in the European Union (EU), where a de facto moratorium has been in place since 1998. This article reviews recent scientific literature relevant to the problematic introduction of transgenic crops in the EU to assess if…

Innovative Practice in Teacher and Trainer Training in Vocational Education and Training. Advisory Forum Subgroup D Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oldroyd, David

Members of a subgroup of the European Training Foundation's Advisory Forum were surveyed regarding their perceptions of problems and priorities relating to initial and inservice vocational teacher and trainer training and innovation in the European Union (EU). Advisory Forum members from 10 EU countries completed the questionnaire. Priorities…

Lifelong Learning in the EU: Changing Conceptualisations, Actors, and Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volles, Nina

2016-01-01

This paper explores the changing conceptualisations, actors, and policies of lifelong learning (LLL) in the European Union (EU) from the time the topic first emerged and was promoted by international organisations in the 1960s. The author uses Kingdon's Multiple Streams Framework to analyse how the LLL discourse became an important part of the EU…

Challenges in Evaluating the EU's Lifelong Learning Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clain, Alexandru

2016-01-01

Since the early 1990s, lifelong learning has become a major policy concern for the European Union, being seen as a means for enabling individuals to be more competitive in social and economic contexts that are continually changing. After a series of white papers and strategies in the field of lifelong learning, the EU launched the Lifelong…

Emergence and Outlook of Competence-Based Education in European Education Systems: An Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tchibozo, Guy

2011-01-01

This contribution takes stock on the emergence of competence-based education in European Union (EU) countries. The article explains how economic constraints but also educational motives led educational policies and systems in the EU to shift to competence-based education. The related instructional frame and concepts are presented, as are the major…

Affordability of medicines in the European Union.

PubMed

Zaprutko, Tomasz; Kopciuch, Dorota; Kus, Krzysztof; Merks, Piotr; Nowicka, Monika; Augustyniak, Izabela; Nowakowska, Elżbieta

2017-01-01

Medications and their prices are key issues for healthcare. Although access to medicines at affordable prices had been specified as a key objective of the European Health Policy, it seems that these goals have not been achieved. Therefore, we attempted an evaluation of affordability of selected medicines at full prices. The analysis concerned 2012 and was conducted between 2013 and 2015 in all the European Union (EU) countries divided into 3 groups depending on the date of their accession to the EU. Finally, we considered 9 originators used in the treatment of schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis. Information on drug prices were collected from pharmacies. Participation in the study was voluntary and anonymous in order to avoid accusations of advertising. To evaluate affordability, several factors were used (e.g. minimum earnings and Gini coefficient). Due to unavailability in some countries, the exact number of analyzed medicines varies. Drug prices vary significantly between EU Member States. Almost eleven fold difference was observed between Germany (EUR 1451.17) and Croatia (EUR 132.77) in relation to Interferone beta-1a 22 μg. Generally, prices were the highest in Germany. The cheapest drugs were found in various countries but never in the poorest ones like Bulgaria or Romania. Discrepancies in wages were observed too (the smallest minimum wage was EUR 138.00 in Bulgaria and the highest EUR 1801.00 in Luxembourg). Full price of olanzapine 5mg, however, was higher in Bulgaria (EUR 64.53) than, for instance, in Belgium (EUR 37.26). Analyzed medications are still unaffordable for many citizens of the EU. Besides, access to medicines is also impaired e.g. due to parallel trade. Unaffordability of medications may lead to the patients' non-compliance and therefore to increased direct and indirect costs of treatment. Common European solutions are needed to achieve a real affordability and accessibility of medications.

Affordability of medicines in the European Union

PubMed Central

Zaprutko, Tomasz; Kopciuch, Dorota; Kus, Krzysztof; Merks, Piotr; Nowicka, Monika; Augustyniak, Izabela; Nowakowska, Elżbieta

2017-01-01

Background Medications and their prices are key issues for healthcare. Although access to medicines at affordable prices had been specified as a key objective of the European Health Policy, it seems that these goals have not been achieved. Therefore, we attempted an evaluation of affordability of selected medicines at full prices. Methods The analysis concerned 2012 and was conducted between 2013 and 2015 in all the European Union (EU) countries divided into 3 groups depending on the date of their accession to the EU. Finally, we considered 9 originators used in the treatment of schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis. Information on drug prices were collected from pharmacies. Participation in the study was voluntary and anonymous in order to avoid accusations of advertising. To evaluate affordability, several factors were used (e.g. minimum earnings and Gini coefficient). Due to unavailability in some countries, the exact number of analyzed medicines varies. Results Drug prices vary significantly between EU Member States. Almost eleven fold difference was observed between Germany (EUR 1451.17) and Croatia (EUR 132.77) in relation to Interferone beta-1a 22 μg. Generally, prices were the highest in Germany. The cheapest drugs were found in various countries but never in the poorest ones like Bulgaria or Romania. Discrepancies in wages were observed too (the smallest minimum wage was EUR 138.00 in Bulgaria and the highest EUR 1801.00 in Luxembourg). Full price of olanzapine 5mg, however, was higher in Bulgaria (EUR 64.53) than, for instance, in Belgium (EUR 37.26). Conclusions Analyzed medications are still unaffordable for many citizens of the EU. Besides, access to medicines is also impaired e.g. due to parallel trade. Unaffordability of medications may lead to the patients’ non-compliance and therefore to increased direct and indirect costs of treatment. Common European solutions are needed to achieve a real affordability and accessibility of medications. PMID:28241019

European Union-28: An annualised cost-of-illness model for venous thromboembolism.

PubMed

Barco, Stefano; Woersching, Alex L; Spyropoulos, Alex C; Piovella, Franco; Mahan, Charles E

2016-04-01

Annual costs for venous thromboembolism (VTE) have been defined within the United States (US) demonstrating a large opportunity for cost savings. Costs for the European Union-28 (EU-28) have never been defined. A literature search was conducted to evaluate EU-28 cost sources. Median costs were defined for each cost input and costs were inflated to 2014 Euros (€) in the study country and adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity between EU countries. Adjusted costs were used to populate previously published cost-models based on adult incidence-based events. In the base model, annual expenditures for total, hospital-associated, preventable, and indirect costs were €1.5-2.2 billion, €1.0-1.5 billion, €0.5-1.1 billion and €0.2-0.3 billion, respectively (indirect costs: 12 % of expenditures). In the long-term attack rate model, total, hospital-associated, preventable, and indirect costs were €1.8-3.3 billion, €1.2-2.4 billion, €0.6-1.8 billion and €0.2-0.7 billion (indirect costs: 13 % of expenditures). In the multiway sensitivity analysis, annual expenditures for total, hospital-associated, preventable, and indirect costs were €3.0-8.5 billion, €2.2-6.2 billion, €1.1-4.6 billion and €0.5-1.4 billion (indirect costs: 22 % of expenditures). When the value of a premature life-lost increased slightly, aggregate costs rose considerably since these costs are higher than the direct medical costs. When evaluating the models aggregately for costs, the results suggests total, hospital-associated, preventable, and indirect costs ranging from €1.5-13.2 billion, €1.0-9.7 billion, €0.5-7.3 billion and €0.2-6.1 billion, respectively. Our study demonstrates that VTE costs have a large financial impact upon the EU-28's healthcare systems and that significant savings could be realised if better preventive measures are applied.

Intelligence Effectiveness in the European Union (E.U.) in the New Security Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

works. When it comes to compliance with E.U. laws, Gerda Faulkner, an Austrian scholar identifies three worlds of compliance: “a world of law...www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/note/libe/2011/462420/IPOL- LIBE_NT(2011)462420(PAR00)_EN.pdf. 79 Gerda Falkner, Oliver Treib, Miriam Hartlapp, and Simone...http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/files/Fagersten%20theoretical%20framework.p df. Falkner, Gerda . Treib, Oliver. Hartlapp, Miriam and Leiber

Space assets, technology and services in support of energy policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasko, C. A.; Adriaensen, M.; Bretel, A.; Duvaux-Bechon, I.; Giannopapa, C. G.

2017-09-01

Space can be used as a tool by decision and policy makers in developing, implementing and monitoring various policy areas including resource management, environment, transport, security and energy. This paper focuses on the role of space for the energy policy. Firstly, the paper summarizes the European Union's (EU) main objectives in energy policy enclosed in the Energy Strategy 2020-2030-2050 and demonstrates how space assets can contribute to achieving those objectives. Secondly, the paper addresses how the European Space Agency (ESA) has established multiple initiatives and programs that directly finance the development of space assets, technology and applications that deliver services in support of the EU energy policy and sector. These efforts should be continued and strengthened in order to overcome identified technological challenges. The use of space assets, technology and applications, can help achieve the energy policy objectives for the next decades.

European Patient Summary Guideline: Focus on Greece.

PubMed

Berler, Alexander; Tagaris, Anastassios; Chronaki, Catherine

2016-01-01

The European Patient Summary (PS) guideline specifies a minimal dataset of essential and important information for unplanned or emergency care initially defined in the epSOS project with aim to improve patients' safety and quality of Care. The eHealth Network of European Union (EU) Member State (MS) representatives established under Article 14 of the EU directive 2011/24 on patient rights to cross-border healthcare adopted PS guideline in November 2013 and since then the guideline has been part of MS strategic eHealth implementation plans, standardization efforts, and concrete regional, national, European and international projects. This paper reviews implementation efforts for the implementation of an operational patient summary service in Greece drawing on challenges and lessons learned for sustainable standards-based large scale eHealth deployment in Europe and abroad, as well as the reuse of best practices from international standards and integration profiles.

Regulatory Anatomy: How "Safety Logics" Structure European Transplant Medicine.

PubMed

Hoeyer, Klaus

2015-07-01

This article proposes the term "safety logics" to understand attempts within the European Union (EU) to harmonize member state legislation to ensure a safe and stable supply of human biological material for transplants and transfusions. With safety logics, I refer to assemblages of discourses, legal documents, technological devices, organizational structures, and work practices aimed at minimizing risk. I use this term to reorient the analytical attention with respect to safety regulation. Instead of evaluating whether safety is achieved, the point is to explore the types of "safety" produced through these logics as well as to consider the sometimes unintended consequences of such safety work. In fact, the EU rules have been giving rise to complaints from practitioners finding the directives problematic and inadequate. In this article, I explore the problems practitioners face and why they arise. In short, I expose the regulatory anatomy of the policy landscape.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Verstraete, Frans, E-mail: Frans.Verstraete@ec.europa.eu

Directive 2002/32/EC of 7 May 2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council on undesirable substances in animal feed is the framework for the EU action on undesirable substances in feed. This framework Directive provides: ⁎that products intended for animal feed may enter for use in the Union from third countries, be put into circulation and/or used in the Union only if they are sound, genuine and of merchantable quality and therefore when correctly used do not represent any danger to human health, animal health or to the environment or could adversely affect livestock production. ⁎that in order tomore » protect animal and public health and the environment, maximum levels for specific undesirable substances shall be established where necessary. ⁎for mandatory consultation of a scientific body (EFSA) for all provisions which may have an effect upon public health or animal health or on the environment. ⁎that products intended for animal feed containing levels of an undesirable substance that exceed the established maximum level may not be mixed for dilution purposes with the same, or other, products intended for animal feed and may not be used for the production of compound feed. Based on the provisions and principles laid down in this framework Directive, maximum levels for a whole range of undesirable substances have been established at EU level. During the discussions in view of the adoption of Directive 2002/32/EC, the European Commission made the commitment to review all existing provisions on undesirable substances on the basis of updated scientific risk assessments. Following requests of the European Commission, the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has completed a series of 30 risk assessments undertaken over the last 5 years on undesirable substances in animal feed reviewing the possible risks for animal and human health due to the presence of these substances in animal feed. EU legislation on undesirable substances has undergone recently several changes to take account of these most recent scientific opinions. Furthermore EFSA has assessed the risks for public and animal health following the unavoidable carry-over of coccidiostats into non target feed. Maximum levels for the unavoidable carry-over have been established for the non-target feed and the food of animal origin from non-target animal species.« less

How Much Credence Does It Take? Evidence on the Trade-Off between Country-Of-Origin Information and Credence Attributes for Beef from a Choice Experiment in Sweden

PubMed Central

Hess, Sebastian; Johansson, Helena

2017-01-01

Based on a discrete choice experiment with 336 consumers, this study investigated whether the consumer propensity to choose a simplified European Union (EU) vs. non-EU denomination of origin for beef, instead of a specific country-of-origin (COO) denomination, depends upon the amount and type of credence information provided to the individual. The likelihood of choosing the EU/non-EU denomination of origin depended on the total number of other labelling credence attributes provided and also on the type of detailed credence attributes present in the choice. The presence of cues relating to animal welfare and far-reaching traceability had the highest likelihood of influencing the choice of the EU/non-EU denomination of origin. The compensatory qualities of each credence attribute in relation to the EU/non-EU origin denomination thus differed. PMID:28946674

Food additives used in meat processing according to the Polish and European Union legislation.

PubMed

Uradziński, J; Weiner, M

2003-01-01

This paper presents the legal regulations related to the use of food additives in meat production in Poland and the European Union. The Polish legal definition of food additives is given as well as the classification of permitted food additives added to food and stimulants by their technological function. In addition, a definition of processing aids in the food industry is included. It shows that Polish legislation includes food additives used to ensure or improve food nutritional value, whereas in the EU legislation, these substances are not included in the list of food additives. Moreover, the Council Directives include food additive specific purity criteria, whereas the Polish regulations do not mention the legal regulations of this issue in practice. The European Union use mechanisms and procedures for the introduction of new food additives into internal markets as well as controlling the circulation of additives. The Polish legislation in practice, however, does not determine approval or methods for the introduction of new food additives to the market. Legal regulations on the monitoring of food additives no exist.

Structure and Financing of Higher Education in Russia, Ukraine and the EU. Higher Education Policy Series 41.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hare, Paul G., Ed.

The papers in this book discuss the goals and constraints facing institutions of higher education in Russia, Ukraine, and the European Union countries. In the European Union countries budgetary pressures and the increasing number of students attending institutions of higher education have resulted in serious financial difficulties for many…

78 FR 68134 - Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity and Foreign Air Carrier Permits

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-13

... behind any Member State of the European Union, via any point or points in any EU Member State and via... available to European Union carriers in the future. Barbara J. Hairston, Supervisory Dockets Officer, Docket... points in any member of the European Common Aviation Area; (iii) foreign charter air transportation of...

Not Solving Problems, Managing Messes: Competent Systems in Early Childhood Education and Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urban, Mathias

2014-01-01

EU 2020, the current strategic framework of the European Union (European Commission, 2010) sets ambitious policy goals based on a rather bleak analysis of a complex crisis scenario the Union finds itself in. A key role is given to early childhood education and care to achieve these goals, and "'highest benefits" are predicted for…

European Union Students Studying in English Higher Education Institutions. DIUS Research Report 08-09

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Marian; Rutt, Simon

2008-01-01

This study aimed to identify the pathways, intentions and relevant perceptions of (non-UK) European Union (EU) students entering English higher education. It sought to identify why students wished to obtain an English HE qualification, their attitudes towards the uptake and repayment of tuition fee loans and their future career plans. Drawing on…

[European Union Network for Patient Safety and Quality of Care (PASQ). Development and preliminary results in Europe and in the Spanish National Health System].

PubMed

Agra-Varela, Y; Fernández-Maíllo, M; Rivera-Ariza, S; Sáiz-Martínez-Acitorez, I; Casal-Gómez, J; Palanca-Sánchez, I; Bacou, J

2015-01-01

The joint action, European Union Network for Patient Safety and Quality of Care: PaSQ, aims to promote patient safety (PS) in the European Union (EU) and to facilitate the exchange of experiences among Member States (MS) and stakeholders on issues related to quality of care, PS, and patient involvement. The development and preliminary results are presented here, especially as regards the Spanish National Health System (SNHS). PaSQ is developed through 7 work packages, primarily aimed at sharing good practices (GP), which were identified using specific questionnaires and selected by means of explicit criteria, as well as to implement safe clinical practices (SCP) of proven effectiveness and agreed among MS. A total of 482 GP (39% provided by Spanish professionals) were identified. The 34 events organised in the EU, 11 including Spanish participation, facilitate sharing these practices. A total of 194 Health Care centres (49% in Spain) are implementing SCP (hand hygiene, safe surgery, medication reconciliation, and paediatric early warning scores) ACHIEVEMENTS AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES: PaSQ is making it possible to strengthen collaboration between organizations and professionals at EU and SNHS level regarding PS and quality of care. Copyright © 2015 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

A clash of civilizations? Examining liberal-democratic values in Turkey and the European Union.

PubMed

Dixon, Jeffrey C

2008-12-01

Turkey's proposed entry into the European Union (EU) has been undermined by Europeans' perceptions of Turkish-European cultural differences, particularly regarding the liberal-democratic values that the EU promotes (democracy, rule of law, and respect for and appreciation of minority/human rights). Yet, cross-national research on values has not focused on Turkey, the EU, and these liberal-democratic values, leaving assumptions of cultural differences and their explanations untested. Through analyses of World and European Values Survey data (1999-2002), this article asks whether people in Turkey have the same values regarding democracy, rule of law (versus religious and authoritarian rule), and minority/human rights as people in EU member and candidate states (as of 2000)? What factors explain these values? I find that people in Turkey support democracy to the same extent as people in EU member and candidate states, but people in Turkey are more supportive of religious and authoritarian rule and are less tolerant of minorities. Although the 'clash of civilizations' thesis expects liberal values to be ordered according to countries' religious traditions, with western Christian the most supportive and Islamic the least, only for tolerance of minorities values is this pattern found. Instead, economic development most consistently explains differences between Turkey and EU member and candidate states in support for these values. I conclude with calls for theoretical refinement, particularly of the clash of civilizations thesis, along with suggestions for future research to examine more Muslim and Orthodox countries; I discuss the debate over Turkey's EU entry.

EMEA and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products Development in the European Union

PubMed Central

2003-01-01

The evaluation of quality, safety, and efficacy of medicinal products by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) via the centralized procedure is the only available regulatory procedure for obtaining marketing authorization for gene therapy (GT) medicinal products in the European Union. The responsibility for the authorization of clinical trials remains with the national competent authorities (NCA) acting in a harmonized framework from the scientific viewpoint. With the entry into force of a new directive on good clinical practice implementation in clinical trials as of 1 May 2004, procedural aspects will also be harmonized at EU level. Scientifically sound development of medicinal products is the key for the successful registration of dossiers and for contributing to the promotion and protection of public health. The objective of this paper is to introduce the EMEA regulatory processes and scientific activities relevant to GT medicinal products. PMID:12686717

[EMPLOYMENT OF THE ELDERLY PEOPLE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND UKRAINE: REALITIES, PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS].

PubMed

Prokopenko, N A

2016-01-01

The study focuses on the issue of older people employment in the European Union and Ukraine. We analyzed the relationship of employment for older people and their income, of employment and of the value of index of social capital, life expectancy and income after retirement. It is shown that the employment rate of older people increased even during the economic crisis. The author has outlined the main causes of employment and the fields of activity of retirees. The basic reasons of employment are financial motives. However, motivation does not come from financial necessity, but because of work satisfaction in countries such as Denmark, Austria, Sweden. The main scope of employment of retirees in Ukraine is the industrial sector, but in the EU working retirees 65+ are engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing sector, self-employment widespread among retirees. The author has outlined the basic directions of pension policy.

European Security in the Balkans: The Case of Macedonia

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

for the Republic of Macedonia; it is the problem of the European Union as well, due to the historical fact that the European Great Powers had...integration of Bulgaria and Romania in the European Union was based on the short term political interests of the EU - to create a safe ring toward... Union in the Security of Europe: From Cold War to Terror War, 117. 28 Nicola Guy, The Birth of Albania, “Ethnic Nationalism, the Great Powers of World

What the eye does not see: a critical interpretive synthesis of European Union policies addressing sexual violence in vulnerable migrants.

PubMed

Keygnaert, Ines; Guieu, Aurore

2015-11-01

In Europe, refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants are more vulnerable to sexual victimisation than European citizens. They face more challenges when seeking care. This literature review examines how legal and policy frameworks at national, European and international levels condition the prevention of and response to sexual violence affecting these vulnerable migrant communities living in the European Union (EU). Applying the Critical Interpretive Synthesis method, we reviewed 187 legal and policy documents and 80 peer-reviewed articles on migrant sexual health for elements on sexual violence and further analysed the 37 legal and 12 peer-reviewed articles among them that specifically focused on sexual violence in vulnerable migrants in the EU-27 States. Legal and policy documents dealing with sexual violence, particularly but not exclusively in vulnerable migrants, apply 'tunnel vision'. They ignore: a) frequently occurring types of sexual violence, b) victimisation rates across genders and c) specific risk factors within the EU such as migrants' legal status, gender orientation and living conditions. The current EU policy-making paradigm relegates sexual violence in vulnerable migrants as an 'outsider' and 'female only' issue while EU migration and asylum policies reinforce its invisibility. Effective response must be guided by participatory rights- and evidence-based policies and a public health approach, acknowledging the occurrence and multiplicity of sexual victimisation of vulnerable migrants of all genders within EU borders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cell-Based Veterinary Pharmaceuticals – Basic Legal Parameters Set by the Veterinary Pharmaceutical Law and the Genetic Engineering Law of the European Union

PubMed Central

Faltus, Timo; Brehm, Walter

2016-01-01

Cell-based therapies have been in use in veterinary medicine for years. However, the legal requirement of manufacturing, placing on the market and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals are not as well developed as the respective requirements of chemical pharmaceuticals. Cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals are medicinal products in the sense of the pharmaceutical law of the European Union (EU). For that reason, such medicinal products principally require official approval for their manufacture and an official marketing authorization for their placement on the market before being used by the veterinarian. The manufacture, placing on the market, and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals without manufacturing approval and marketing authorization is permitted only in certain exceptional cases determined by EU and individual Member State law. Violations of this requirement may have consequences for the respective veterinarian under criminal law and under the code of professional conduct in the respective Member State. The regular use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals within the scope of a therapeutic emergency as well as the import of such veterinary pharmaceuticals from non-European countries for use in the EU are currently out of the question in the EU because of a lack of legal bases. Here, we review the general legal requirement of manufacturing, placing on the market, and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals within the EU and point out different implementations of EU law within the different Member States. PMID:27965965

Nonclinical pharmacology and toxicology of the first biosimilar insulin glargine drug product (BASAGLAR®/ABASAGLAR®) approved in the European Union.

PubMed

Byrd, Richard A; Owens, Rebecca A; Blackbourne, Jamie L; Coutant, David E; Farmen, Mark W; Michael, M Dodson; Moyers, Julie S; Schultze, A Eric; Sievert, Michael K; Tripathi, Niraj K; Vahle, John L

2017-08-01

Basaglar ® /Abasaglar ® (Lilly insulin glargine [LY IGlar]) is a long-acting human insulin analogue drug product granted marketing authorisation as a biosimilar to Lantus ® (Sanofi insulin glargine [SA IGlar]) by the European Medicines Agency. We assessed the similarity of LY IGlar to the reference drug product, European Union-sourced SA IGlar (EU-SA IGlar), using nonclinical in vitro and in vivo studies. No biologically relevant differences were observed for receptor binding affinity at either the insulin or insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptors, or in assays of functional or de novo lipogenic activity. The mitogenic potential of LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar was similar when tested in both insulin- and IGF-1 receptor dominant cell systems. Repeated subcutaneous daily dosing of rats for 4 weeks with 0, 0.3, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/kg LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar produced mortalities and clinical signs consistent with severe hypoglycaemia. Glucodynamic profiles of LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar in satellite animals showed comparable dose-related hypoglycaemia. Severe hypoglycaemia was associated with axonal degeneration of the sciatic nerve; the incidence and severity were low and did not differ between LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar. These results demonstrated no biologically relevant differences in toxicity between LY IGlar and EU-SA IGlar. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cell-Based Veterinary Pharmaceuticals - Basic Legal Parameters Set by the Veterinary Pharmaceutical Law and the Genetic Engineering Law of the European Union.

PubMed

Faltus, Timo; Brehm, Walter

2016-01-01

Cell-based therapies have been in use in veterinary medicine for years. However, the legal requirement of manufacturing, placing on the market and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals are not as well developed as the respective requirements of chemical pharmaceuticals. Cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals are medicinal products in the sense of the pharmaceutical law of the European Union (EU). For that reason, such medicinal products principally require official approval for their manufacture and an official marketing authorization for their placement on the market before being used by the veterinarian. The manufacture, placing on the market, and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals without manufacturing approval and marketing authorization is permitted only in certain exceptional cases determined by EU and individual Member State law. Violations of this requirement may have consequences for the respective veterinarian under criminal law and under the code of professional conduct in the respective Member State. The regular use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals within the scope of a therapeutic emergency as well as the import of such veterinary pharmaceuticals from non-European countries for use in the EU are currently out of the question in the EU because of a lack of legal bases. Here, we review the general legal requirement of manufacturing, placing on the market, and use of cell-based veterinary pharmaceuticals within the EU and point out different implementations of EU law within the different Member States.

The revision of the 2014 European tobacco products directive: an analysis of the tobacco industry's attempts to ‘break the health silo’

PubMed Central

Peeters, Silvy; Costa, Hélia; Stuckler, David; McKee, Martin; Gilmore, Anna B

2016-01-01

Background The 2014 European Union (EU) Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) was negotiated in a changed policy context, following adoption of the EU's ‘Smart Regulation’ agenda, which transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) anticipated would increase their influence on health policy, and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which sought to reduce it. This study aims to explore the scale and nature of the TTCs' lobby against the EU TPD and evaluate how these developments have affected their ability to exert influence. Methods Analysis of 581 documents obtained through freedom of information requests, 28 leaked Philip Morris International (PMI) documents, 17 TTC documents from the Legacy Library, web content via Google alerts and searches of the EU institutions' websites, plus four stakeholder interviews. Results The lobby was massive. PMI alone employed over 160 lobbyists. Strategies mainly used third parties. Efforts to 'Push' (amend) or 'Delay' the proposal and block 'extreme policy options' were partially successful, with plain packaging and point of sales display ban removed during the 3-year delay in the Commission. The Smart Regulation mechanism contributed to changes and delays, facilitating meetings between TTC representatives (including ex-Commission employees) and senior Commission staff. Contrary to Article 5.3, these meetings were not disclosed. Conclusions During the legislative process, Article 5.3 was not consistently applied by non-health Directorates of the European Commission, while the tools of the Smart Regulation appear to have facilitated TTC access to, and influence on, the 2014 TPD. The use of third parties undermines Article 5.3. PMID:25713313

Gonorrhoea and gonococcal antimicrobial resistance surveillance networks in the WHO European Region, including the independent countries of the former Soviet Union.

PubMed

Unemo, Magnus; Ison, Catherine A; Cole, Michelle; Spiteri, Gianfranco; van de Laar, Marita; Khotenashvili, Lali

2013-12-01

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae has emerged for essentially all antimicrobials following their introduction into clinical practice. During the latest decade, susceptibility to the last remaining options for antimicrobial monotherapy, the extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC), has markedly decreased internationally and treatment failures with these ESCs have been verified. In response to this developing situation, WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have published global and region-specific response plans, respectively. One main component of these action/response plans is to enhance the surveillance of AMR and treatment failures. This paper describes the perspectives from the diverse WHO European Region (53 countries), including the independent countries of the former Soviet Union, regarding gonococcal AMR surveillance networks. The WHO European Region has a high prevalence of resistance to all previously recommended antimicrobials, and most of the first strictly verified treatment failures with cefixime and ceftriaxone were also reported from Europe. In the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the European gonococcal antimicrobial surveillance programme (Euro-GASP) funded by the ECDC is running. In 2011, the Euro-GASP included 21/31 (68%) EU/EEA countries, and the programme is further strengthened annually. However, in the non-EU/EEA countries, internationally reported and quality assured gonococcal AMR data are lacking in 87% of the countries and, worryingly, appropriate support for establishment of a GASP is still lacking. Accordingly, national and international support, including political and financial commitment, for gonococcal AMR surveillance in the non-EU/EEA countries of the WHO European Region is essential.

European Union's strategy on endocrine disrupting chemicals and the current position of Slovenia.

PubMed

Perharič, Lucija; Fatur, Tanja; Drofenik, Jernej

2016-06-01

In view of the European Union regulations 1107/2009 and 528/2012, which say that basic substances in plant protection and biocidal products marketed in the European Union (EU) should not have an inherent capacity to cause endocrine disruption, an initiative was started to define scientific criteria for the identification of endocrine disruptors (EDs). The objectives of the EU strategy on EDs are to protect human health and the environment, to assure the functioning of the market, and to provide clear and coherent criteria for the identification of EDs that could have broad application in the EU legislation. Policy issues were to be addressed by the Ad-hoc group of Commission Services, EU Agencies and Member States established in 2010, whereas the scientific issues were to be addressed by the Endocrine Disruptors Expert Advisory Group (ED EAG), established in 2011. The ED EAG adopted the 2002 World Health Organization (WHO) definition of endocrine disruptor and agreed that for its identification it is necessary to produce convincing evidence of a biologically plausible causal link between an adverse effect and endocrine disrupting mode of action. In 2014, the European Commission proposed four ED identification criteria options and three regulatory options, which are now being assessed for socio-economic, environmental, and health impact. Slovenia supports the establishing of identification criteria and favours option 4, according to which ED identification should be based on the WHO definition with the addition of potency as an element of hazard characterisation. As for regulatory options, Slovenia favours the risk-based rather than hazard-based regulation.

The Impact of Vocational Education on Poverty Reduction, Quality Assurance and Mobility on Regional Labour Markets--Selected EU-Funded Schemes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallenborn, Manfred

2009-01-01

Vocational education can serve to promote social stability and sustainable economic and social development. The European Union (EU) strategically employs a range of vocational educational schemes to attain these overriding goals. Topical points of focus are selected in line with requirements in the individual partner countries or regions. However,…

The Rule of Mimetic Desire in Higher Education: Governing through Naming, Shaming and Faming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brøgger, Katja

2016-01-01

The initiation of the Bologna Process was accompanied by a radical transition of governance in higher education throughout Europe from government to governance. This article argues that this shift in the design of governing was connected to the need to subtly bypass the European Union (EU) subsidiarity principle that kept education out of the EU's…

Supranationalism Decision Making for Spanish Citizens and Its Relation to Personal Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coromina, Lluis

2013-01-01

A crucial issue in the European Union (EU) is which policies should be regulated by EU and which ones by national governments. Given this situation it is interesting to study the citizens' preference for the level of political decision making. The interest of the paper is mainly empirical, which consists in the creation of a measure for…

Detailed Work Programme on the Follow-Up of the Objectives of Education and Training Systems in Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium).

This report describes policy cooperation in the Education and Training Area in the European Union (EU) in response to the Lisbon strategy and provides a comprehensive plan to respond to the challenges of the knowledge society, globalization, and the enlargement of the EU. It focuses on these three objectives: (1) improving the quality and…

Towards a European Policy Discourse on Compulsory Education: The Case of Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nordin, Andreas

2017-01-01

The aim of this article is to show how the European Union (EU) and the Swedish government have recently become co-producers of education policy that increasingly emphasises compulsory education. The paper draws on the following two kinds of empirical material: 1) an analysis of central official policy documents produced by the EU and the Swedish…

Language Management Theory as a Basis for the Dynamic Concept of EU Language Law

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dovalil, Vít

2015-01-01

Language law is a tool used to manage problems of linguistic diversity in the EU. The paper analyzes the processes in which language law is found in the discursive practice of agents addressing the Court of Justice of the European Union with their language problems. The theoretical-methodological basis for the research is Language Management…

Lisbona's Goals and Bolonian Process-Issue of Education in EU Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cernetic, Metod

2011-01-01

Lisbona's (2000) goals and strategy gave us the answers to the question how EU (European Union) can be competitive in the long term and, at the same time, preserve European model of life, that means a balance between economical, social and environmental goals. Knowledge is the focal point of development. That is the reason why many European states…

Surveillance perspective on Lyme borreliosis across the European Union and European Economic Area

PubMed Central

van den Wijngaard, Cees C; Hofhuis, Agnetha; Simões, Mariana; Rood, Ente; van Pelt, Wilfrid; Zeller, Herve; Van Bortel, Wim

2017-01-01

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe. Erythema migrans (EM), an early, localised skin rash, is its most common presentation. Dissemination of the bacteria can lead to more severe manifestations including skin, neurological, cardiac, musculoskeletal and ocular manifestations. Comparison of LB incidence rates in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) and Balkan countries are difficult in the absence of standardised surveillance and reporting procedures. We explored six surveillance scenarios for LB surveillance in the EU/EEA, based on the following key indicators: (i) erythema migrans, (ii) neuroborreliosis, (iii) all human LB manifestations, (iv) seroprevalence, (v) tick bites, and (vi) infected ticks and reservoir hosts. In our opinion, neuroborreliosis seems most feasible and useful as the standard key indicator, being one of the most frequent severe LB manifestations, with the possibility of a specific case definition. Additional surveillance with erythema migrans as key indicator would add value to the surveillance of neuroborreliosis and lead to a more complete picture of LB epidemiology in the EU/EEA. The other scenarios have less value as a basis for EU-level surveillance, but can be considered periodically and locally, as they could supply complementary insights. PMID:28703098

Assessing the Risk of African Swine Fever Introduction into the European Union by Wild Boar.

PubMed

De la Torre, A; Bosch, J; Iglesias, I; Muñoz, M J; Mur, L; Martínez-López, B; Martínez, M; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

2015-06-01

The presence of African swine fever (ASF) in the Caucasus region and Russian Federation has increased concerns that wild boars may introduce the ASF virus into the European Union (EU). This study describes a semi-quantitative approach for evaluating the risk of ASF introduction into the EU by wild boar movements based on the following risk estimators: the susceptible population of (1) wild boars and (2) domestic pigs in the country of origin; the outbreak density in (3) wild boars and (4) domestic pigs in the countries of origin, the (5) suitable habitat for wild boars along the EU border; and the distance between the EU border and the nearest ASF outbreak in (6) wild boars or (7) domestic pigs. Sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the most influential risk estimators. The highest risk was found to be concentrated in Finland, Romania, Latvia and Poland, and wild boar habitat and outbreak density were the two most important risk estimators. Animal health authorities in at-risk countries should be aware of these risk estimators and should communicate closely with wild boar hunters and pig farmers to rapidly detect and control ASF. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Global health in the European Union--a review from an agenda-setting perspective.

PubMed

Aluttis, Christoph; Krafft, Thomas; Brand, Helmut

2014-01-01

This review attempts to analyse the global health agenda-setting process in the European Union (EU). We give an overview of the European perspective on global health, making reference to the developments that led to the EU acknowledging its role as a global health actor. The article thereby focuses in particular on the European interpretation of its role in global health from 2010, which was formalised through, respectively, a European Commission Communication and European Council Conclusions. Departing from there, and based on Kingdon's multiple streams theory on agenda setting, we identify some barriers that seem to hinder the further establishment and promotion of a solid global health agenda in the EU. The main barriers for creating a strong European global health agenda are the fragmentation of the policy community and the lack of a common definition for global health in Europe. Forwarding the agenda in Europe for global health requires more clarification of the common goals and perspectives of the policy community and the use of arising windows of opportunity.

Female Reproductive Disorders, Diseases, and Costs of Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in the European Union.

PubMed

Hunt, Patricia A; Sathyanarayana, Sheela; Fowler, Paul A; Trasande, Leonardo

2016-04-01

A growing body of evidence suggests that endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) contribute to female reproductive disorders. To calculate the associated combined health care and economic costs attributable to specific EDC exposures within the European Union (EU). An expert panel evaluated evidence for probability of causation using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change weight-of-evidence characterization. Exposure-response relationships and reference levels were evaluated, and biomarker data were organized from carefully identified studies from the peer-reviewed literature to represent European exposure and approximate burden of disease as it occurred in 2010. Cost-of-illness estimation used multiple peer-reviewed sources. Cost estimation was carried out from a societal perspective, ie, including direct costs (eg, treatment costs) and indirect costs such as productivity loss. The most robust EDC-related data for female reproductive disorders exist for 1) diphenyldichloroethene-attributable fibroids and 2) phthalate-attributable endometriosis in Europe. In both cases, the strength of epidemiological evidence was rated as low and the toxicological evidence as moderate, with an assigned probability of causation of 20%–39%. Across the EU, attributable cases were estimated to be 56 700 and 145 000 women, respectively, with total combined economic and health care costs potentially reaching €163 million and €1.25 billion. EDCs (diphenyldichloroethene and phthalates) may contribute substantially to the most common reproductive disorders in women, endometriosis and fibroids, costing nearly €1.5 billion annually. These estimates represent only EDCs for which there were sufficient epidemiologic studies and those with the highest probability of causation. These public health costs should be considered as the EU contemplates regulatory action on EDCs.

INTRAW, the EU Observatory for raw materials: fostering international cooperation and developing new opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correia, Victor; Allington, Ruth; Keane, Christopher

2016-04-01

A secure supply of raw materials is a European priority that extends beyond country borders and national policies. Recent European initiatives have pioneered the development of an EU strategy on raw materials emphasizing the concept of the "added value chain", which continues to pursue the three pillar strategy to: (1) ensure the fair and sustainable supply of raw materials from international markets, promoting international cooperation with developed and developing countries; (2) foster sustainable supply of raw materials from European sources, and (3) reduce consumption of primary raw materials by increasing resource efficiency and promoting recycling. This contribution presents the Horizon 2020 funded project INTRAW, the objective of which is to establish the European Union's International Observatory for Raw Materials. The creation and maintenance of the European Union's International Observatory for Raw Materials is designed to have a strong impact in two dimensions: 1. To narrow the existing gap in aspects of the raw materials knowledge infrastructure in the EU by providing a link with the same knowledge infrastructure in technologically advanced reference countries. This should contribute to the harmonization of mineral policies all over the EU, by providing data that enables evidence-based policies and appropriate, cost-effective management, planning and adaptation decisions by the public sector. This will benefit businesses, industry and society. The Observatory will also provide to policy makers in the EU and its Member States the data they need to facilitate discussion in multilateral forums. 2. To enable a better alignment of the R&I activities among the individual EU members and international cooperation countries AND between the European Union and international cooperation countries by boosting synergies with international research and innovation programmes. This way the EU's role and scientific capabilities in the raw materials area will be reinforced in the mid-term, and the conditions for sustainable access and supply of raw materials in the EU will benefit from the international cooperation. The authors will describe the key stages of the INTRAW project and explain how it aims to establish (and promote the continuation of) international cooperation at every stage of the raw materials value chain and to build a repository of information and analysis to support the development and strengthening of EU raw materials strategies. Key elements of the value chain upon which the project focuses are: industry and trade; education and outreach; and research and innovation. The roles of geoscientists in delivering the aims and objectives of INTRAW will be emphasised.

General sale of non-prescription medicinal products: Comparing legislation in two European countries.

PubMed

Lind, Johanna; Schafheutle, Ellen; Hägg, Annika Nordén; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark

2016-01-01

The number of non-prescription medicines (NPMs) available for self-medication is increasing within the European Union (EU). This can enhance the autonomy of individuals but is also connected with risks. Under an existing EU Directive, Sweden has only recently deregulated and made NPMs available in non-pharmacy outlets; The United Kingdom (UK) is a more established NPM market; both are guided by the same EU directives. The aim of this study was to compare specific requirements under the legislation, rationales and outcomes regarding the sale of NPMs through non-pharmacy outlets between Sweden and the UK. The main method was analysis of legislative text and policy documents, conducted in 2012. Both countries had specified medicines available to the public in non-pharmacy outlets, but with restrictions on different factors, e.g. placement and package size of the NPMs. The main rationales for legislation were quality and patient safety. NPMs for 51 ailments were available in the UK, compared to 35 in Sweden. Sweden had more extensive requirements, probably due to the market being more recently deregulated, while the UK represented a more mature market. There is a difference in the balance between confidence and control, as well as availability and safety when it comes to NPMs in non-pharmacy settings that needs to be further discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of existing environmental networks for the post-market monitoring of GM crop cultivation in the EU.

PubMed

Smets, G; Alcalde, E; Andres, D; Carron, D; Delzenne, P; Heise, A; Legris, G; Martinez Parrilla, M; Verhaert, J; Wandelt, C; Ilegems, M; Rüdelsheim, P

2014-07-01

The European Union (EU) Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment requires that both Case-Specific Monitoring (CSM) and General Surveillance (GS) are considered as post-market implementing measures. Whereas CSM is directed to monitor potential adverse effects of GMOs or their use identified in the environmental risk assessment, GS aims to detect un-intended adverse effects of GMOs or their use on human and animal health or the environment. Guidance documents on the monitoring of genetically modified (GM) plants from the Commission and EFSA clarify that, as appropriate, GS can make use of established routine surveillance practices. Networks involved in routine surveillance offer recognised expertise in a particular domain and are designed to collect information on important environmental aspects over a large geographical area. However, as the suitability of existing monitoring networks to provide relevant data for monitoring impacts of GMOs is not known, plant biotechnology companies developed an approach to describe the processes and criteria that will be used for selecting and evaluating existing monitoring systems. In this paper, the availability of existing monitoring networks for this purpose is evaluated. By cataloguing the existing environmental monitoring networks in the EU, it can be concluded that they can only be used, in the context of GMO cultivation monitoring, as secondary tools to collect baseline information.

Strategies for public health research in European Union countries.

PubMed

Grimaud, Olivier; McCarthy, Mark; Conceição, Claudia

2013-11-01

'Health' is an identifiable theme within the European Union multi-annual research programmes. Public Health Innovation and Research in Europe (PHIRE), led by the European Public Health Association, sought to identify public health research strategies in EU member states. Within PHIRE, national public health associations reviewed structures for health research, held stakeholder workshops and produced reports. This information, supplemented by further web searches, including using assisted translation, was analysed for national research strategies and health research strategies. All countries described general research strategies, outlining organizational and capacity objectives. Thematic fields, including health, are mentioned in some strategies. A health research strategy was identified for 15 EU countries and not for 12. Ministries of health led research strategies for nine countries. Public health research was identified in only three strategies. National research strategies did not refer to the European Union's health research programme. Public health research strategies of European countries need to be developed by ministries of health, working with the research community to achieve the European Research Area.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, M.

The European chemical industry, facing growing political support for the European Commission`s latest version of the carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2})-energy tax, has renewed its attacks on the proposed law. Simon de Bree, chairman of DSM and president of the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic; Brussels), last week wrote to Jacques Santer, president of the commission, and Solana Madariaga, current president of Europe Union`s (EU) Council of Ministers, saying the tax was {open_quotes}totally unacceptable and irresponsible in terms of EU competitiveness.{close_quotes} He says it {open_quotes}has nothing to do anymore with the protection of the environment and has instead become a normalmore » additional taxation, disguised, for opportunistic reasons, as an environmental protection measurement.{close_quotes}« less

Towards a better pesticide policy for the European Union.

PubMed

Storck, Veronika; Karpouzas, Dimitrios G; Martin-Laurent, Fabrice

2017-01-01

This opinion article aims to foster the debate about pesticide legislation in the European Union (EU). Numerous formerly authorized and widely used pesticides are now banned in the EU because unexpected and unacceptable risks emerged after their initial introduction to the market. Throughout this time lapse, environmental quality and human health have been threatened by the use of these compounds. These hazards could have been prevented by a more responsive pesticide regulatory framework. This article provides detailed insights into the pros and cons of pesticides, and points out weaknesses of the current pesticide environmental risk assessment procedures. Possibilities for improving the robustness and reliability of the pesticide regulatory framework are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

77 FR 59243 - Notice of Applications for Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity and Foreign Air...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-26

... transportation authorized by any additional route rights made available to European Union carriers in the future... transportation of persons, property, and mail from any point or points behind any Member State of the European Union, via any point or points in any EU Member State and via intermediate points, to any point or...

Erasmus+: Capacity Building in Higher Education. EU Support to Higher Education Institutions around the World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jongsma, Ard

2016-01-01

The aim of this brochure is to introduce those who are new to working with European Union funding, to the philosophy of Erasmus+ "capacity-building in higher education" projects. European Union experience of working on these types of projects will be shared. Examples of existing projects are scattered throughout the text to inspire you…

75 FR 52751 - Office of Global Health Affairs; Trans-Atlantic Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TATFAR)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-27

.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Background On November 3, 2009, the United States and the European Union (EU... and the European Union could have the most impact, keeping in mind that the work of the TATFAR will be.... Department of Health and Human Services for the United States and from the European Commission, European...

Educational Research Capacity Building in the European Union: A Critique of the Lived Experiences of Emerging Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallet, Fiona; Fidalgo, Patricia

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article is to explore the extent to which European Union (EU) policies impact upon the activities of associations such as the European Educational Research Association (EERA) and the experiences of emerging researchers aligned to such associations. In essence, the authors explore potential tensions between policy and the lived…

Towards the Learning Region: Education and Regional Innovation in the European Union and the United States. CEDEFOP Reference Document.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nyhan, Barry, Ed.; Attwell, Graham, Ed.; Deitmer, Ludger, Ed.

This book provides an overview of innovative education practices throughout regions in the United States (US) and Europe. It contains 16 papers written by experts from the educational, economic, and regional development fields in the US and the European Union (EU). Introductory materials are: a foreword (David O'Sullivan); preface (Stavros…

Lessons from Central and Southeast Europe for the Expanding Alliances

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

more than a token material and personnel contribution to alliances? Examining three geographically close but historically distinct cases, Austria...security regimes such as the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union . Second, the three nations’ historical and...Collective Security, Collective Defense, Civil-Military Relations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), European Union (EU) Common Foreign and

European Union's Moratorium Impact on Food Biotechnology: A Discussion-Based Scenario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Lori Unruh; Gallo, Maria; Fulford, Stephen G.; Irani, Tracy; Rudd, Rick; DiFino, Sharon M.; Durham, Timothy C.

2008-01-01

Genetically modified (GM) crops such as maize (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Moench], and canola (Brassica rapa L.) have been widely adopted by American farmers. In spite of their use in the United States, the European Union (EU) imposed a 6-year de facto moratorium (1998-2004) on the cultivation/import of…

A Descriptive Review of Mainline E-Learning Projects in the European Union: E-Learning Action Plan and E-Learning Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uzunboylu, Huseyin

2006-01-01

This study's purpose was to survey the literature on European Union (EU) e-learning strategies specifically related to two mainline e-learning projects: the learning Action Plan and the E-Learning Program. Results of the evaluation and interpretation of the literature show that the European Commission has positively impacted European Union…

[Principles of establishing occupational exposure limits for carcinogens in Poland and in other EU countries].

PubMed

Skowroń, Jolanta; Czerczak, Slawomir

2013-01-01

The principles of determining exposure limits for carcinogens adopted in Poland, the European Union and in other selected countries of the EC are discussed in this article. Carcinogens and/or mutagens pose a direct health risk to people exposed to them. If carcinogens cannot be eliminated from the work and living environments, their exposure should be kept at the lowest possible level. To assess health risk for carcinogens it is necessary to determine the probability of developing a disease or of death from cancer as a result of occupational exposure to carcinogenic substances.

Voluntary health insurance in the European Union: a critical assessment.

PubMed

Mossialos, Elias; Thomson, Sarah M S

2002-01-01

The authors examine the role and nature of the market for voluntary health insurance in the European Union and review the impact of public policy, at both the national and E.U. levels, on the development of this market in recent years. The conceptual framework, based on a model of industrial analysis, allows a wide range of policy questions regarding market structure, conduct, and performance. By analyzing these three aspects of the market for voluntary health insurance, the authors are also able to raise questions about the equity and efficiency of voluntary health insurance as a means of funding health care in the European Union. The analysis suggests that the market for voluntary health insurance in the European Union suffers from significant information failures that seriously limit its potential for competition or efficiency and also reduce equity. Substantial deregulation of the E.U. market for voluntary health insurance has stripped regulatory bodies of their power to protect consumers and poses interesting challenges for national regulators, particularly if the market is to expand in the future. In a deregulated environment, it is questionable whether this method of funding health care will encourage a more efficient and equitable allocation of resources.

Will the European Union reach the United Nations Millennium declaration target of a 50% reduction of tuberculosis mortality between 1990 and 2015?

PubMed

van der Werf, Marieke J; Bonfigli, Sandro; Hruba, Frantiska

2017-07-06

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) provide targets for 2015. MDG 6 includes a target to reduce the tuberculosis (TB) death rate by 50% compared with 1990. We aimed to assess whether this target was reached by the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area countries. We used Eurostat causes of death data to assess whether the target was reached in the EU. We calculated the reduction in reported and adjusted death rates and the annual average percentage decline based on the available data. Between 1999 and 2014, the TB death rate decreased by 50%, the adjusted death rate by 56% and the annual average percentage decline was 5.43% (95% confidence interval 4.94-6.74) for the EU. Twenty of 26 countries reporting >5 TB deaths in the first reporting year reached the target of 50% reduction in adjusted death rate. The EU reached the MDG target of a 50% reduction of the TB death rate and also the annual average percentage decline was larger than the 2.73% needed to reach the target. The World Health Organization 'End TB Strategy' requires a further reduction of the number of TB deaths of 35% by 2020 compared to 2015, which will challenge TB prevention and care services in the EU.

Public health implications of differences in U.S. and European Union regulatory policies for breast implants.

PubMed

Zuckerman, Diana; Booker, Nyedra; Nagda, Sonia

2012-12-01

The recall of tens of thousands of defective breast implants in Europe in 2011-12 as well as new data on risks have raised questions about regulatory standards for these and other medical implants in the United States (U.S.) and European Union (EU). In the U.S., breast implants are regulated as high-risk medical devices that must be proven reasonably safe and effective in clinical trials and subject to government inspection before they can be sold. In contrast, clinical trials and inspections have not been required for breast implants or other implanted devices in the EU; approval is based on other information. As a result of these differing standards, the PIP breast implants that were recalled across Europe had been removed from the market years earlier in the U.S. than in the EU, a decision U.S. government health agencies can point to with pride. Nevertheless, the FDA track record on post-marketing breast implant research indicates poorly implemented studies and little meaningful enforcement to ensure that studies have been conducted correctly or findings reported accurately or acted upon. In sum, neither the EU nor the US has used their regulatory authority to ensure the long-term safety of breast implants. However, in 2012 the EU announced regulatory changes that could improve that situation. Copyright © 2012 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Authorisation within the European Union of vaccines against antigenically variable viruses responsible for major epizootic diseases.

PubMed

Mackay, D K J

2007-08-01

Antigenically variable viruses are responsible for some of the most contagious and economically important diseases that affect domestic livestock. The serious consequences of such diseases in terms of economic loss, and human and animal health, were clearly demonstrated by recent epizootics of foot and mouth disease, and outbreaks of avian influenza and bluetongue in the European Union (EU). For such diseases, government authorities need to be able to respond, if appropriate, by making use of vaccines that are suited to the epidemiological situation. The current EU regulatory framework is not well adapted for approval and maintenance of vaccines where the antigens included have to be chosen to reflect the epidemiological need. An extensive revision of the technical requirements for authorisation of veterinary medicinal products within the EU is currently underway. Additionally, a major revision of the regulations that control how such authorisations are kept up-to-date is about to start. This provides an ideal opportunity to introduce into EU legislation the concept of the 'multistrain dossier' whereby a potentially large number of approved strains may be included within a marketing authorisation and the final vaccines may be blended to include strains according to need. In addition, new strains may be added onto the marketing authorisation by means of a rapid regulatory procedure should new antigenic variants actually or potentially threaten the EU.

Legal requirements for the quality of herbal substances and herbal preparations for the manufacturing of herbal medicinal products in the European union.

PubMed

Vlietinck, Arnold; Pieters, Luc; Apers, Sandra

2009-06-01

In the European Union (EU) herbal medicinal products have become increasingly important. This is, for instance, underlined by the recent introduction of a simplified procedure in the Member States of the EU allowing the registration of herbal medicinal products which fulfill the criteria of a traditional herbal medicinal product, i.e., sufficient evidence of its medicinal use throughout a period of at least 30 years for products in the EU and at least 15 years within the EU and 15 years elsewhere for products outside the EU. With regard to the manufacturing of these products and their quality, applications of traditional herbal medicinal products have to fulfil the same requirements as applications for a marketing authorization. The quality of herbal substances as well as herbal preparations will be determined by the availability of modern science-based public monographs in the European Pharmacopoeia and their equivalents developed by the pharmaceutical industry. The standards put forward in these monographs must allow us not only to define the quality of these products, but also to eliminate dangerous counterfeit, substandard, adulterated and contaminated (traditional) herbal medicinal products. The usefulness of these monographs to implement the criteria on quality and specifications put forward for these products in the different guidelines of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) is discussed.

Effectiveness of text versus pictorial health warning labels and predictors of support for plain packaging of tobacco products within the European Union.

PubMed

Agaku, Israel T; Filippidis, Filippos T; Vardavas, Constantine I

2015-01-01

Tobacco product warning labels are a key health communication medium with plain packaging noted as the next step in the evolution of tobacco packaging. We assessed the self-reported impact of text versus pictorial health warnings and the determinants of support for plain packaging of tobacco products in the European Union (EU). The Special Eurobarometer 385 survey was analyzed for 26,566 adults from 27 EU countries in 2012. The self-reported impact of warning labels (text or pictorial) and determinants of EU-wide support for plain packaging were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Current smokers in countries where cigarette pictorial warnings were implemented had higher odds of reporting that health warning labels had any effect on their smoking behavior (making a quit attempt or reducing number of cigarettes smoked per day) compared to respondents in countries with text-only warning labels (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI: 1.10-1.56). Population support for plain packaging of tobacco packs was higher in countries where cigarette pictorial warnings already existed (aOR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.07-1.28). These findings indicate that the implementation of pictorial warnings at an EU level may have a positive behavioral impact among smokers and pave the way for population support for plain packaging in the EU.

The upper limits of pain and suffering in animal research.

PubMed

Beauchamp, Tom L; Morton, David B

2015-10-01

The control of risk and harm in human research often calls for the establishment of upper limits of risk of pain, suffering, and distress that investigators must not exceed. Such upper limits are uncommon in animal research, in which limits of acceptability are usually left to the discretion of individual investigators, institutions, national inspectors, or ethics review committees. We here assess the merits of the European Directive 2010/63/EU on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes and its accompanying instruments, such as guides and examples. These documents present a body of legislation governing animal research in the European Union. We argue that the directive supplies a promising approach, but one in need of revision. We interpret the directive's general conception of upper limits and show its promise for the establishment of high-quality policies. We provide a moral rationale for such policies, address the problem of justified exceptions to established upper limits, and show when causing harm is and is not wrongful. We conclude that if the standards we propose for improving the directive are not realized in the review of research protocols, loose and prejudicial risk-benefit assessments may continue to be deemed sufficient to justify morally questionable research. However, a revised EU directive and accompanying instruments could have a substantial influence on the ethics of animal research worldwide, especially in the development of morally sound legal frameworks.

The legal framework governing the quality of (traditional) herbal medicinal products in the European Union.

PubMed

Kroes, Burt H

2014-12-02

In the European Union a complex regulatory framework is in place for the regulation of (traditional) herbal medicinal products. It is based on the principle that a marketing authorisation granted by the competent authorities is required for placing medicinal products on the market. The requirements and procedures for acquiring such a marketing authorisation are laid down in regulations, directives and scientific guidelines. This paper gives an overview of the quality requirements for (traditional) herbal medicinal products that are contained in European pharmaceutical legislation. Pharmaceutical quality of medicinal product is the basis for ensuring safe and effective medicines. The basic principles governing the assurance of the quality of medicinal products in the European Union are primarily defined in the amended Directive 2001/83/EC and Directive 2003/63/EC. Quality requirements of herbal medicinal products are also laid down in scientific guidelines. Scientific guidelines provide a basis for practical harmonisation of how the competent authorities of EU Member States interpret and apply the detailed requirements for the demonstration of quality laid down in regulations and directives. Detailed quality requirements for herbal medicinal products on the European market are contained in European Union (EU) pharmaceutical legislation. They include a system of manufacturing authorisations which ensures that all herbal medicinal products on the European market are manufactured/imported only by authorised manufacturers, whose activities are regularly inspected by the competent authorities. Additionally, as starting materials only active substances are allowed which have been manufactured in accordance with the GMP for starting materials as adopted by the Community. The European regulatory framework encompasses specific requirements for herbal medicinal products. These requirements are independent from the legal status. Thus, the same quality standards equally apply to herbal products based on clinical evidence and traditional herbal medicinal products. The basic principle is that the quality of herbal medicinal products is intrinsically associated with the quality standard of the herbal substances and/or herbal preparations. Furthermore, the herbal substance or herbal preparation in its entirety is regarded as the active substance. Consequently, a mere determination of the content of marker(s) or constituents with known therapeutic activity is not sufficient for the quality control of herbal medicinal products. Specific quality requirements include thorough product characterisation, adherence to the Good Agricultural and Collection Practices, good manufacturing practices and validated manufacturing process, e.g., raw material testing, in-process testing, fingerprint characterisation etc. Quality control of herbal medicinal products is primarily intended to define the quality of the herbal substance/preparation and herbal medicinal product rather than to establish full characterisation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pragmatics of policy: the compliance of dutch environmental policy instruments to European union standards.

PubMed

Kruitwagen, Sonja; Reudink, Melchert; Faber, Albert

2009-04-01

Despite a general decrease in Dutch environmental emission trends, it remains difficult to comply with European Union (EU) environmental policy targets. Furthermore, environmental issues have become increasingly complex and entangled with society. Therefore, Dutch environmental policy follows a pragmatic line by adopting a flexible approach for compliance, rather than aiming at further reduction at the source of emission. This may be politically useful in order to adequately reach EU targets, but restoration of environmental conditions may be delayed. However, due to the complexity of today's environmental issues, the restoration of environmental conditions might not be the only standard for a proper policy approach. Consequently this raises the question how the Dutch pragmatic approach to compliance qualifies in a broader policy assessment. In order to answer this question, we adapt a policy assessment framework, developed by Hemerijck and Hazeu (Bestuurskunde 13(2), 2004), based on the dimensions of legitimacy and policy logic. We apply this framework for three environmental policy assessments: flexible instruments in climate policy, fine-tuning of national and local measures to meet air quality standards, and derogation for the Nitrate Directive. We conclude with general assessment notes on the appliance of flexible instruments in environmental policy, showing that a broad and comprehensive perspective can help to understand the arguments to put such policy instruments into place and to identify trade-offs between assessment criteria.

Prediction of population with Alzheimer's disease in the European Union using a system dynamics model.

PubMed

Tomaskova, Hana; Kuhnova, Jitka; Cimler, Richard; Dolezal, Ondrej; Kuca, Kamil

2016-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a slowly progressing neurodegenerative brain disease with irreversible brain effects; it is the most common cause of dementia. With increasing age, the probability of suffering from AD increases. In this research, population growth of the European Union (EU) until the year 2080 and the number of patients with AD are modeled. The aim of this research is to predict the spread of AD in the EU population until year 2080 using a computer simulation. For the simulation of the EU population and the occurrence of AD in this population, a system dynamics modeling approach has been used. System dynamics is a useful and effective method for the investigation of complex social systems. Over the past decades, its applicability has been demonstrated in a wide variety of applications. In this research, this method has been used to investigate the growth of the EU population and predict the number of patients with AD. The model has been calibrated on the population prediction data created by Eurostat. Based on data from Eurostat, the EU population until year 2080 has been modeled. In 2013, the population of the EU was 508 million and the number of patients with AD was 7.5 million. Based on the prediction, in 2040, the population of the EU will be 524 million and the number of patients with AD will be 13.1 million. By the year 2080, the EU population will be 520 million and the number of patients with AD will be 13.7 million. System dynamics modeling approach has been used for the prediction of the number of patients with AD in the EU population till the year 2080. These results can be used to determine the economic burden of the treatment of these patients. With different input data, the simulation can be used also for the different regions as well as for different noncontagious disease predictions.

Analyzing Turkey's Data from TIMSS 2007 to Investigate Regional Disparities in Eighth Grade Science Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erberber, Ebru

2009-01-01

Turkey is expected to be a full member of the European Union (EU) by 2013. In the course of its integration into the EU, Turkey has been simultaneously facing access, quality, and equity issues in education. Over the past decade, substantial progress has been made on increasing the access. However, improving the country's low level of education…

Matching Up to the Information Society: An Evaluation of the EU, the EU Accession Countries, Switzerland and the United States. Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graafland-Essers, Irma; Cremonini, Leon; Ettedgui, Emile; Botterman, Maarten

2003-01-01

This report presents the current understanding of the advancement of the Information Society within the European Union and countries that are up for accession in 2004, and is based on the SIBIS (Statistical Indicators Benchmarking the Information Society) surveys and analyses per SIBIS theme and country. The report is unique in its coherent and…

Matching Up to the Information Society: An Evaluation of the EU, the EU Accession Countries, Switzerland and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graafland-Essers, Irma; Cremonini, Leon; Ettedgui, Emile; Botterman, Maarten

2003-01-01

This report presents the current understanding of the advancement of the Information Society within the European Union and countries that are up for accession in 2004, and is based on the SIBIS (Statistical Indicators Benchmarking the Information Society) surveys and analyses per SIBIS theme and country. The report is unique in its coherent and…

Funding Continuing Training in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Discussion and Case Studies from across the EU. CEDEFOP Panorama Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pukkinen, Tommi; Romijn, Clemens; Elson-Rogers, Sarah

There are three main parts to this report of a study that used case studies to showcase the different approaches used to encourage more continuing training within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the European Union (EU). Section 1 discusses the importance of funding training in SMEs and highlights the various types of funding…

European Higher Education, the Inclusion of Students from Under-Represented Groups and the Bologna Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riddell, Sheila; Weedon, Elisabet

2014-01-01

The central questions addressed in this paper are the following: (1) In the context of the (European Union) EU's goal of severing the link between social class background and higher education participation, what progress has been made in widening access over the past two decades? (2) Has the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) helped EU countries to…

Modular framework to assess the risk of African swine fever virus entry into the European Union.

PubMed

Mur, Lina; Martínez-López, Beatriz; Costard, Solenne; de la Torre, Ana; Jones, Bryony A; Martínez, Marta; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, Fernando; Muñoz, María Jesús; Pfeiffer, Dirk U; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel; Wieland, Barbara

2014-07-03

The recent occurrence and spread of African swine fever (ASF) in Eastern Europe is perceived as a serious risk for the pig industry in the European Union (EU). In order to estimate the potential risk of ASF virus (ASFV) entering the EU, several pathways of introduction were previously assessed separately. The present work aimed to integrate five of these assessments (legal imports of pigs, legal imports of products, illegal imports of products, fomites associated with transport and wild boar movements) into a modular tool that facilitates the visualization and comprehension of the relative risk of ASFV introduction into the EU by each analyzed pathway. The framework's results indicate that 48% of EU countries are at relatively high risk (risk score 4 or 5 out of 5) for ASFV entry for at least one analyzed pathway. Four of these countries obtained the maximum risk score for one pathway: Bulgaria for legally imported products during the high risk period (HRP); Finland for wild boar; Slovenia and Sweden for legally imported pigs during the HRP. Distribution of risk considerably differed from one pathway to another; for some pathways, the risk was concentrated in a few countries (e.g., transport fomites), whereas other pathways incurred a high risk for 4 or 5 countries (legal pigs, illegal imports and wild boar). The modular framework, developed to estimate the risk of ASFV entry into the EU, is available in a public domain, and is a transparent, easy-to-interpret tool that can be updated and adapted if required. The model's results determine the EU countries at higher risk for each ASFV introduction route, and provide a useful basis to develop a global coordinated program to improve ASFV prevention in the EU.

Modular framework to assess the risk of African swine fever virus entry into the European Union

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The recent occurrence and spread of African swine fever (ASF) in Eastern Europe is perceived as a serious risk for the pig industry in the European Union (EU). In order to estimate the potential risk of ASF virus (ASFV) entering the EU, several pathways of introduction were previously assessed separately. The present work aimed to integrate five of these assessments (legal imports of pigs, legal imports of products, illegal imports of products, fomites associated with transport and wild boar movements) into a modular tool that facilitates the visualization and comprehension of the relative risk of ASFV introduction into the EU by each analyzed pathway. Results The framework’s results indicate that 48% of EU countries are at relatively high risk (risk score 4 or 5 out of 5) for ASFV entry for at least one analyzed pathway. Four of these countries obtained the maximum risk score for one pathway: Bulgaria for legally imported products during the high risk period (HRP); Finland for wild boar; Slovenia and Sweden for legally imported pigs during the HRP. Distribution of risk considerably differed from one pathway to another; for some pathways, the risk was concentrated in a few countries (e.g., transport fomites), whereas other pathways incurred a high risk for 4 or 5 countries (legal pigs, illegal imports and wild boar). Conclusions The modular framework, developed to estimate the risk of ASFV entry into the EU, is available in a public domain, and is a transparent, easy-to-interpret tool that can be updated and adapted if required. The model’s results determine the EU countries at higher risk for each ASFV introduction route, and provide a useful basis to develop a global coordinated program to improve ASFV prevention in the EU. PMID:24992824

Comparative study of the methods used for treatment and final disposal of sewage sludge in European countries.

PubMed

Kelessidis, Alexandros; Stasinakis, Athanasios S

2012-06-01

Municipal wastewater treatment results to the production of large quantities of sewage sludge, which requires proper and environmentally accepted management before final disposal. In European Union, sludge management remains an open and challenging issue for the Member States as the relative European legislation is fragmentary and quite old, while the published data concerning sludge treatment and disposal in different European countries are often incomplete and inhomogeneous. The main objective of the current study was to outline the current situation and discuss future perspectives for sludge treatment and disposal in EU countries. According to the results, specific sludge production is differentiated significantly between European countries, ranging from 0.1 kg per population equivalent (p.e.) and year (Malta) to 30.8 kg per p.e. and year (Austria). More stringent legislations comparing to European Directive 86/278/EC have been adopted for sludge disposal in soil by several European countries, setting lower limit values for heavy metals as well as limit values for pathogens and organic micropollutants. A great variety of sludge treatment technologies are used in EU countries, while differences are observed between Member States. Anaerobic and aerobic digestion seems to be the most popular stabilization methods, applying in 24 and 20 countries, respectively. Mechanical sludge dewatering is preferred comparing to the use of drying beds, while thermal drying is mainly applied in EU-15 countries (old Member States) and especially in Germany, Italy, France and UK. Regarding sludge final disposal, sludge reuse (including direct agricultural application and composting) seems to be the predominant choice for sludge management in EU-15 (53% of produced sludge), following by incineration (21% of produced sludge). On the other hand, the most common disposal method in EU-12 countries (new Member States that joined EU after 2004) is still landfilling. Due to the obligations set by Directive 91/271/EC, a temporary increase of sludge amounts that are disposed in landfills is expected during the following years in EU-12 countries. Beside the above, sludge reuse in land and sludge incineration seem to be the main practices further adopted in EU-27 (all Member States) up to 2020. The reinforcement of these disposal practices will probably result to adoption of advanced sludge treatment technologies in order to achieve higher pathogens removal, odors control and removal of toxic compounds and ensure human health and environmental protection. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Why study EU foreign policy at all? A response to Keuleers, Fonck and Keukeleire

PubMed Central

Dijkstra, Hylke; Vanhoonacker, Sophie

2016-01-01

In an important article on the state of European Union (EU) foreign policy research, Keuleers, Fonck and Keukeleire show that academics excessively focus on the study of the EU foreign policy system and EU implementation rather than the consequences of EU foreign policy for recipient countries. While the article is empirical, based on a dataset of 451 published articles on EU foreign policy, the normative message is that it is time to stop ‘navel-gazing’ and pay more attention to those on the receiving end of EU foreign policy. We welcome this contribution, but wonder why certain research questions have been privileged over others. We argue that this has primarily to do with the predominant puzzles of the time. We also invite Keuleers, Fonck and Keukeleire to make a theoretical case for a research agenda with more attention to outside-in approaches. We conclude by briefly reflecting on future research agendas in EU foreign policy. PMID:28546641

Diabetes Device Reimbursement in the EU-5

PubMed Central

Attorney, Elmar Schäfer; Schnell, Gerald; Bobáková, Tamara

2013-01-01

The reimbursement landscape for new and innovative diabetes devices in Europe is very heterogeneous and nontransparent, with each country employing different mechanisms, pathways, and requirements. This article provides an overview of how diabetes device reimbursement works in the outpatient setting in the five major European Union markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom; the EU-5). It will be of particular interest to manufacturers of innovative devices. Markets are first categorized as either a centralized or a regionalized reimbursement decision-making system, and implications for device reimbursement are explored. In the second part, specific requirements and success factors for wide reimbursement in the EU-5 are analyzed in detail. Gaining early acceptance by the main influencers (key opinion leaders and payers) is the first step. Equally important is the provision of convincing evidence, be this clinical, health–economic (cost-effectiveness), or a demonstration of cost savings (budget impact). In some countries, local usage data may be a requirement as well. Lastly, as payers’ willingness to pay stems directly from their perceived value of a device, a key success factor and a necessary precondition for manufacturers is to set the right price. PMID:23911192

The effects of economic and political integration on power plants’ carbon emissions in the post-soviet transition nations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgenson, Andrew K.; Longhofer, Wesley; Grant, Don; Sie, Amanda; Giedraitis, Vincentas

2017-04-01

The combustion of fossil fuels for electricity generation, which accounts for a significant share of the world’s CO2 emissions, varies by macro-regional context. Here we use multilevel regression modeling techniques to analyze CO2 emissions levels in the year 2009 for 1360 fossil-fuel power plants in the 25 post-Soviet transition nations in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. We find that various facility-level factors are positively associated with plant-level emissions, including plant size, age, heat rate, capacity utilization rate, and coal as the primary fuel source. Results further indicate that plant-level emissions are lower, on average, in the transition nations that joined the European Union (EU), whose market reforms and environmental directives are relevant for emissions reductions. These negative associations between plant-level emissions and EU accession are larger for the nations that joined the EU in 2004 relative to those that joined in 2007. The findings also suggest that export-oriented development is positively associated with plant-level CO2 emissions in the transition nations. Our results highlight the importance in macro-regional assessments of the conjoint effects of political and economic integration for facility-level emissions.

Vibration safety limits for magnetic resonance elastography.

PubMed

Ehman, E C; Rossman, P J; Kruse, S A; Sahakian, A V; Glaser, K J

2008-02-21

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has been demonstrated to have potential as a clinical tool for assessing the stiffness of tissue in vivo. An essential step in MRE is the generation of acoustic mechanical waves within a tissue via a coupled mechanical driver. Motivated by an increasing volume of human imaging trials using MRE, the objectives of this study were to audit the vibration amplitude of exposure for our IRB-approved human MRE studies, to compare these values to a conservative regulatory standard for vibrational exposure and to evaluate the applicability and implications of this standard for MRE. MRE displacement data were examined from 29 MRE exams, including the liver, brain, kidney, breast and skeletal muscle. Vibrational acceleration limits from a European Union directive limiting occupational exposure to whole-body and extremity vibrations (EU 2002/44/EC) were adjusted for time and frequency of exposure, converted to maximum displacement values and compared to the measured in vivo displacements. The results indicate that the vibrational amplitudes used in MRE studies are below the EU whole-body vibration limit, and the EU guidelines represent a useful standard that could be readily accepted by Institutional Review Boards to define standards for vibrational exposures for MRE studies in humans.

Vibration safety limits for magnetic resonance elastography

PubMed Central

Ehman, E C; Rossman, P J; Kruse, S A; Sahakian, A V; Glaser, K J

2010-01-01

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) has been demonstrated to have potential as a clinical tool for assessing the stiffness of tissue in vivo. An essential step in MRE is the generation of acoustic mechanical waves within tissue via a coupled mechanical driver. Motivated by an increasing volume of human imaging trials using MRE, the objectives of this study were to audit the vibration amplitude of exposure for our IRB-approved human MRE studies, to compare these values to a conservative regulatory standard for vibrational exposure, and to evaluate the applicability and implications of this standard for MRE. MRE displacement data were examined from 29 MRE exams, including the liver, brain, kidney, breast, and skeletal muscle. Vibrational acceleration limits from a European Union directive limiting occupational exposure to whole-body and extremity vibrations (EU 2002/44/EC) were adjusted for time and frequency of exposure, converted to maximum displacement values, and compared to the measured in vivo displacements. The results indicate that the vibrational amplitudes used in MRE studies are below the EU whole-body vibration limit and the EU guidelines represent a useful standard that could be readily accepted by Institutional Review Boards to define standards for vibrational exposures for MRE studies in humans. PMID:18263949

Ring trial among National Reference Laboratories for parasites to detect Trichinella spiralis larvae in pork samples according to the EU directive 2075/2005.

PubMed

Marucci, Gianluca; Pezzotti, Patrizio; Pozio, Edoardo

2009-02-23

To control Trichinella spp. infection in the European Union, all slaughtered pigs should be tested by one of the approved digestion methods described in EU directive 2075/2005. The aim of the present work was to evaluate, by a ring trial, the sensitivity of the digestion method used at the National Reference Laboratories for Parasites (NRLP). These Laboratories are responsible for the quality of the detection method in their own country. Of the 27 EU countries, only three (Hungary, Luxembourg and Malta) did not participate in the ring trial. Each participating laboratory received 10 samples of 100g of minced pork containing 3-5 larvae (3 samples), 10-20 larvae (3 samples), 30-50 larvae (3 samples), and one negative control. In each positive sample, there were living Trichinella spiralis larvae without the collagen capsule, obtained by partial artificial digestion of muscle tissue from infected mice. No false positive sample was found in any laboratories, whereas nine laboratories (37.5%) failed to detect some positive samples with the percentage of false negatives ranging from 11 to 100%. The variation between expected and reported larval counts observed among the participating laboratories was statistically significant. There was a direct correlation between the consistency of the results and the use of a validated/accredited digestion method. Conversely, there was no correlation between the consistency of the results and the number of digestions performed yearly by the NRLP. These results support the importance of validating the test.

European union water policy--tasks for implementing "Water Framework Directive" in pre-accession countries.

PubMed

Sözen, Seval; Avcioglu, Ebru; Ozabali, Asli; Görgun, Erdem; Orhon, Derin

2003-08-01

Water Framework Directive aiming to maintain and improve the aquatic environment in the EU was launched by the European Parliament in 2000. According to this directive, control of quantity is an ancillary element in securing good water quality and therefore measures on quantity, serving the objective of ensuring good quality should also be established. Accordingly, it is a comprehensive and coordinated package that will ensure all European waters to be protected according to a common standard. Therefore, it refers to all other Directives related to water resources management such as Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive Nitrates Directive, Drinking Water Directive, Integrated Pollution Prevention Control etc. Turkey, as a candidate state targeting full-membership, should comply the necessary preparations for the implementation of the "Water Framework Directive" as soon as possible. In this study, the necessary legislative, political, institutional, and technical attempts of the pre-accession countries have been discussed and effective recommendations have been offered for future activities in Turkey.

Tuberculosis among migrant populations in the European Union and the European Economic Area.

PubMed

Odone, Anna; Tillmann, Taavi; Sandgren, Andreas; Williams, Gemma; Rechel, Bernd; Ingleby, David; Noori, Teymur; Mladovsky, Philipa; McKee, Martin

2015-06-01

Although tuberculosis (TB) incidence has been decreasing in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) in the last decades, specific subgroups of the population, such as migrants, remain at high risk of TB. This study is based on the report 'Key Infectious Diseases in Migrant Populations in the EU/EEA' commissioned by The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. We collected, critically appraised and summarized the available evidence on the TB burden in migrants in the EU/EEA. Data were collected through: (i) a comprehensive literature review; (ii) analysis of data from The European Surveillance System (TESSy) and (iii) evidence provided by TB experts during an infectious disease workshop in 2012. In 2010, of the 73,996 TB cases notified in the EU/EEA, 25% were of foreign origin. The overall decrease of TB cases observed in recent years has not been reflected in migrant populations. Foreign-born people with TB exhibit different socioeconomic and clinical characteristics than native sufferers. This is one of the first studies to use multiple data sources, including the largest available European database on infectious disease notifications, to assess the burden and provide a comprehensive description and analysis of specific TB features in migrants in the EU/EEA. Strengthened information about health determinants and factors for migrants' vulnerability is needed to plan, implement and evaluate targeted TB care and control interventions for migrants in the EU/EEA. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.

An overview of Compassionate Use Programs in the European Union member states.

PubMed

Balasubramanian, Gayathri; Morampudi, Suman; Chhabra, Pankdeep; Gowda, Arun; Zomorodi, Behsad

2016-11-01

The past decade witnessed rapid development of novel drugs and therapeutic biological agents. The marketing authorization for novel therapies is often time consuming and distressing for patients. Earlier clinical trials were the only way to access new drugs under development. However, not every patient meets the enrolment criteria, and participation is difficult for patients with life-threatening, long-lasting or seriously debilitating diseases like rare diseases. Early access programs like "Compassionate Use Program (CUP)" have generated alternative channels for such patients. The European Medical Agency provides regulations and recommendations for compassionate use, upon which every European Union (EU) member state has developed its own rules and regulations. Despite previous reviews and studies, the available information is limited and gaps exist. This literature review explores CUP in 28 EU member states. Data was collected through literature review and use of country-specific search terms from the healthcare domain. Data sources were not limited to databases and articles published in journals, but also included grey literature. The results implied that CUP was present in 20 EU member states (71%). Of 28 EU states, 18 (∼64%) had nationalized regulations and processes were well-defined. Overall, this review identified CUP and its current status and legislation in 28 EU member states. The established legislation for CUP in the EU member states suggest their willingness to adopt processes that facilitate earlier and better access to new medicines. Further research and periodic reviews are warranted to understand the contemporary and future regulatory trends in early access programs.

The Potential of Transnational Language Policy to Promote Social Inclusion of Immigrants: An Analysis and Evaluation of the European Union's INCLUDE Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bian, Cui

2017-01-01

Language issues and social inclusion consistently remain two major concerns for member countries of the European Union (EU). Despite an increasing awareness of the importance of language learning in migrants' social inclusion, and the promotion of language policies at European and national levels, there is still a lack of common actions at the…

The Future Development of the European Union Education, Training and Youth Programmes After 2006: A Public Consultation Document.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium). Directorate-General for Education and Culture.

This document launches a wide public consultation with all those involved in and with an interest in the European Union's (EU's) education, training, and youth programs called Socrates, Tempus, Leonardo da Vinci, and Youth for Europe. It is the first step toward preparing the new generation of programs to start in 2007 and will inform the…

Analysis of Energy Intensive Enterprises under EU Emission Trading System in Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahare, Dace; Rosa, Marika

2011-01-01

Climate change and global warming has become one of the main topics worldwide. The European Union Emission Trading System (EU ETS) was established to limit climate change, providing regulations which encourage companies to invest in cleaner production and more energy efficient production. Latvian energy intensive enterprises are operating under the EU ETS from the year 2005. The main goal of this paper is to provide an analysis of energy intensive installations in terms of their energy efficiency. Additionally, an analysis of EU ETS phase III which will start to operate in 2013 under new, more stringent rules has been conducted by modelling three Latvian energy intensive enterprise operations under this phase and estimating the barriers to meet the goal of the EU ETS phase III.

Privacy and anonymity in the information society - challenges for the European Union.

PubMed

Tsoukalas, Ioannis A; Siozos, Panagiotis D

2011-03-01

Electronic information is challenging traditional views on property and privacy. The explosion of digital data, driven by novel web applications, social networking, and mobile devices makes data security and the protection of privacy increasingly difficult. Furthermore, biometric data and radiofrequency identification applications enable correlations that are able to trace our cultural, behavioral, and emotional states. The concept of privacy in the digital realm is transformed and emerges as one of the biggest risks facing today's Information Society. In this context, the European Union (EU) policy-making procedures strive to adapt to the pace of technological advancement. The EU needs to improve the existing legal frameworks for privacy and data protection. It needs to work towards a "privacy by education" approach for the empowerment of "privacy-literate" European digital citizens.

Providing healthcare assistants with better career opportunities.

PubMed

Filkins, Jacqueline

2014-10-30

NURSES' DEPENDENCE on the skills and experience of healthcare assistants (HCAs) is increasing, but the level of guidance and supervision offered to HCAs is variable. While there is noteworthy work that addresses training and development opportunities for HCAs across the UK, many people are unaware of this in the wider European Union (EU). Equally, there is limited awareness in other EU countries of the UK's HCA training and employment opportunities.

Participation in Non-Formal Learning in EU-15 and EU-8 Countries: Demand and Supply Side Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roosmaa, Eve-Liis; Saar, Ellu

2012-01-01

The main purpose of this paper is to provide an in-depth analysis of participation in non-formal learning in different European Union member states. The paper also seeks to extend analysis of the training gap by pursuing the distinction between the supply and the demand for skills. We use aggregate data from the Adult Education Survey (Eurostat)…

Come on RCN - What's your position on the EU referendum?

PubMed

Travis, Mike

2016-05-04

The Royal College of Midwives is ahead of other health unions on the great EU debate, issuing a clear statement of where they stand that will help members think about how they vote on June 23. The European question is complex and the media will not focus on economic and worker welfare. Where is the RCN in all this? It says it has a 'neutral' stance!

Questioning the Role of Internationalization in the Nationalization of Higher Education: The Impact of the EU TEMPUS Programme on Higher Education in Syria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ayoubi, Rami M.; Massoud, Hiba K.

2011-01-01

Given the need for major reform of the higher education programmes in Syria, and answering the voices that question the role of European Union (EU) in assisting the development of the higher education sector, this study presents an analysis of the contribution of (TEMPUS) Programme in modernising higher education in Syria. The study compares the…

A Welcome Proposal to Amend the GMO Legislation of the EU.

PubMed

Eriksson, Dennis; Harwood, Wendy; Hofvander, Per; Jones, Huw; Rogowsky, Peter; Stöger, Eva; Visser, Richard G F

2018-05-25

Is the European Union (EU) regulatory framework for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) adequate for emerging techniques, such as genome editing? This has been discussed extensively for more than 10 years. A recent proposal from The Netherlands offers a way to break the deadlock. Here, we discuss how the proposal would affect examples from public plant research. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

English "in the Context of" European Integration: A Corpus-Driven Analysis of Lexical Bundles in English EU Documents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jablonkai, Reka

2010-01-01

This study extends research into the use of English as a lingua franca in the European context by investigating the most frequent word combinations in English documents issued by EU institutions. As there is little research on the use of the English language within the European Union for ESP pedagogic purposes, as part of a larger scale analysis,…

Surveillance perspective on Lyme borreliosis across the European Union and European Economic Area.

PubMed

van den Wijngaard, Cees C; Hofhuis, Agnetha; Simões, Mariana; Rood, Ente; van Pelt, Wilfrid; Zeller, Herve; Van Bortel, Wim

2017-07-06

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most prevalent tick-borne disease in Europe. Erythema migrans (EM), an early, localised skin rash, is its most common presentation. Dissemination of the bacteria can lead to more severe manifestations including skin, neurological, cardiac, musculoskeletal and ocular manifestations. Comparison of LB incidence rates in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) and Balkan countries are difficult in the absence of standardised surveillance and reporting procedures. We explored six surveillance scenarios for LB surveillance in the EU/EEA, based on the following key indicators: (i) erythema migrans, (ii) neuroborreliosis, (iii) all human LB manifestations, (iv) seroprevalence, (v) tick bites, and (vi) infected ticks and reservoir hosts. In our opinion, neuroborreliosis seems most feasible and useful as the standard key indicator, being one of the most frequent severe LB manifestations, with the possibility of a specific case definition. Additional surveillance with erythema migrans as key indicator would add value to the surveillance of neuroborreliosis and lead to a more complete picture of LB epidemiology in the EU/EEA. The other scenarios have less value as a basis for EU-level surveillance, but can be considered periodically and locally, as they could supply complementary insights. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2017.

The origins of the bioeconomy in the European Union.

PubMed

Patermann, Christian; Aguilar, Alfredo

2018-01-25

This article outlines the context and circumstances that favoured the development of a Bioeconomy Strategy in the European Union (EU) and the role played by the different Framework programmes for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration. Particular attention is given to the biotechnology related programmes and more specifically to the "Cell Factory" Key Action in the 5th Framework Programme (1998-2002). This, together with the parallel development of a Strategy on Biotechnology in 2002, served as a solid foundation for the creation of the, at the time, so-called Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy (KBBE). The KBBE concept emerged in 2005, a couple of years before the launch of the 7th Framework Programme (2007-2013). The experience accumulated over the years and the new societal expectations triggered the EU to launch a Strategy on Bioeconomy in 2012. This article concludes with a brief analysis of the two most important impacts of the EU Strategy on Bioeconomy. One is the Bioeconomy dedicated activity within the Programme Horizon 2020 (2014-2020), and the other the creation of a public-private partnership of bio-based industries. Both the impact of Horizon 2020 on the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and the bio-based industries public-private partnership are analysed in depth in two articles elsewhere in this volume. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geographic Data as Personal Data in Four EU Member States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jong, A. J.; van Loenen, B.; Zevenbergen, J. A.

2016-06-01

The EU Directive 95/46/EC on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data aims at harmonising data protection legislation in the European Union. This should promote the free flow of products and services within the EU. This research found a wide variety of interpretations of the application of data protection legislation to geographic data. The variety was found among the different EU Member States, the different stakeholders and the different types of geographic data. In the Netherlands, the Data Protection Authority (DPA) states that panoramic images of streets are considered personal data. While Dutch case law judges that the data protection legislation does not apply if certain features are blurred and no link to an address is provided. The topographic datasets studied in the case studies do not contain personal data, according to the Dutch DPA, while the German DPA and the Belgian DPA judge that topographic maps of a large scale can contain personal data, and impose conditions on the processing of topographic maps. The UK DPA does consider this data outside of the scope of legal definition of personal data. The patchwork of differences in data protection legislation can be harmonised by using a traffic light model. This model focuses on the context in which the processing of the data takes place and has four categories of data: (1) sensitive personal data, (2) personal data, (3), data that can possibly lead to identification, and (4) non-personal data. For some geographic data, for example factual data that does not reveal sensitive information about a person, can be categorised in the third category giving room to opening up data under the INSPIRE Directive.

Management of landfill leachate: The legacy of European Union Directives.

PubMed

Brennan, R B; Healy, M G; Morrison, L; Hynes, S; Norton, D; Clifford, E

2016-09-01

Landfill leachate is the product of water that has percolated through waste deposits and contains various pollutants, which necessitate effective treatment before it can be released into the environment. In the last 30years, there have been significant changes in landfill management practices in response to European Union (EU) Directives, which have led to changes in leachate composition, volumes produced and treatability. In this study, historic landfill data, combined with leachate characterisation data, were used to determine the impacts of EU Directives on landfill leachate management, composition and treatability. Inhibitory compounds including ammonium (NH4-N), cyanide, chromium, nickel and zinc, were present in young leachate at levels that may inhibit ammonium oxidising bacteria, while arsenic, copper and silver were present in young and intermediate age leachate at concentrations above inhibitory thresholds. In addition, the results of this study show that while young landfills produce less than 50% of total leachate by volume in the Republic of Ireland, they account for 70% of total annual leachate chemical oxygen demand (COD) load and approximately 80% of total 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and NH4-N loads. These results show that there has been a decrease in the volume of leachate produced per tonne of waste landfilled since enactment of the Landfill Directive, with a trend towards increased leachate strength (particularly COD and BOD5) during the initial five years of landfill operation. These changes may be attributed to changes in landfill management practices following the implementation of the Landfill Directive. However, this study did not demonstrate the impact of decreasing inputs of biodegradable municipal waste on leachate composition. Increasingly stringent wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) emission limit values represent a significant threat to the sustainability of co-treatment of leachate with municipal wastewater. In addition, the seasonal variation in leachate production poses a risk to effective co-treatment in municipal WWTPs, as periods of high leachate production coincide with periods of maximum hydraulic loading in WWTPs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of Trophic Magnification Factors (TMFs) Under the ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Directive 2013/39/EU amending and updating the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) and its Daughter Directive (the so-called EQS Directive: 2008/105/EC) sets Environmental Quality Standards for biota (EQSbiota) for a number of bioaccumulative chemicals which can pose a threat to both aquatic wildlife (piscivorous birds and mammals) and human health via the consumption of contaminated prey or the intake of contaminated food originating from the aquatic environment. Member States (MS) of the European Union will need to establish programs to monitor the concentration of 11 priority substances in biota and assess compliance against these new standards for surface water classification. The biota standards essentially refer to fish and should be applied to the trophic level (TL) at which contaminant concentrations peak, so that the predator of the species at that TL is exposed to the highest contaminant levels in its food. For chemicals that are subject to biomagnification, the peak concentrations are theoretically attained at TL 3 to 4 in freshwater food webs and TL 5 in marine food webs, where the risk of secondary poisoning of top predators should also be considered. An EU-wide guidance effectively addresses the implementation of EQSbiota (EC 2014). Flexibility is allowed in the choice of target species used for monitoring because of the diversity of both habitats and aquatic community composition across Europe. According to that guidance, the consistency and co

Public health economic evaluation of different European Union-level policy options aimed at reducing population dietary trans fat intake.

PubMed

Martin-Saborido, Carlos; Mouratidou, Theodora; Livaniou, Anastasia; Caldeira, Sandra; Wollgast, Jan

2016-11-01

The adverse relation between dietary trans fatty acid (TFA) intake and coronary artery disease risk is well established. Many countries in the European Union (EU) and worldwide have implemented different policies to reduce the TFA intake of their populations. The aim of this study was to assess the added value of EU-level action by estimating the cost-effectiveness of 3 possible EU-level policy measures to reduce population dietary TFA intake. This was calculated against a reference situation of not implementing any EU-level policy (i.e., by assuming only national or self-regulatory measures). We developed a mathematical model to compare different policy options at the EU level: 1) to do nothing beyond the current state (reference situation), 2) to impose mandatory TFA labeling of prepackaged foods, 3) to seek voluntary agreements toward further reducing industrially produced TFA (iTFA) content in foods, and 4) to impose a legislative limit for iTFA content in foods. The model indicated that to impose an EU-level legal limit or to make voluntary agreements may, over the course of a lifetime (85 y), avoid the loss of 3.73 and 2.19 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), respectively, and save >51 and 23 billion euros when compared with the reference situation. Implementing mandatory TFA labeling can also avoid the loss of 0.98 million DALYs, but this option incurs more costs than it saves compared with the reference option. The model indicates that there is added value of an EU-level action, either via a legal limit or through voluntary agreements, with the legal limit option producing the highest additional health benefits. Introducing mandatory TFA labeling for the EU common market may provide some additional health benefits; however, this would likely not be a cost-effective strategy.

Seroprevalence and susceptibility to hepatitis A in the European Union and European Economic Area: a systematic review.

PubMed

Carrillo-Santisteve, Paloma; Tavoschi, Lara; Severi, Ettore; Bonfigli, Sandro; Edelstein, Michael; Byström, Emma; Lopalco, Pierluigi

2017-10-01

Most of the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) is considered a region of very low hepatitis A virus (HAV) endemicity; however, geographical differences exist. We did a systematic review with the aim of describing seroprevalence and susceptibility in the general population or special groups in the EU and EEA. We searched databases and public health national institutes websites for HAV seroprevalence records published between Jan 1, 1975, and June 30, 2014, with no language restrictions. An updated search was done on Aug 10, 2016. We defined seroprevalence profiles (very low, low, and intermediate) as the proportion of the population with age-specific anti-HAV antibodies at age 15 and 30 years, and susceptibility profiles (low, moderate, high, and very high) as the proportion of susceptible individuals at age 30 and 50 years. We included 228 studies from 28 of 31 EU and EEA countries. For the period 2000-14, 24 countries had a very low seroprevalence profile, compared with five in 1975-89. The susceptibility among adults ranged between low and very high and had a geographical gradient, with three countries in the low susceptibility category. Since 1975, EU and EEA countries have shown decreasing seropositivity; however, considerable regional variability exists. The main limitations of this study are that the studies retrieved for analysis might not be representative of all EU and EEA publications about HAV and might have poor national representativeness. A large proportion of EU and EEA residents are now susceptible to HAV infection. Our Review supports the need to reconsider specific prevention and control measures, to further decrease HAV circulation while providing protection against the infection in the EU and EEA, and could be used to inform susceptible travellers visiting EU and EEA countries with different HAV endemicity levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of cigarette price differences across the entire European Union on cross-border purchase of tobacco products among adult cigarette smokers.

PubMed

Agaku, Israel T; Blecher, Evan; Filippidis, Filippos T; Omaduvie, Uyoyo T; Vozikis, Athanassios; Vardavas, Constantine I

2016-05-01

We investigated the impact of cigarette price differences across the European Union (EU) on cross-border tobacco purchasing because of cheaper price among current cigarette smokers. Individual-level tobacco-related data (including cross-border tobacco purchasing behavior) were from the Special Eurobarometer 385 (V.77.1), a cross-sectional survey of persons aged ≥15 years from 27 EU Member States during 2012. Country-specific weighted average prices (WAP) per 1000 cigarettes (as of 1 July 2012) were obtained from the European Commission, and divided by 50 to yield WAP per cigarette pack. The dispersion in EU cigarette prices was measured with the coefficient of variation. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to measure the relationship between EU-wide cigarette price differential and cross-border tobacco purchasing because of cheaper price among current cigarette smokers (n=6896). The coefficient of variation for cigarette WAP within the EU was 0.39 (mean price=€3.99/pack). Of all current cigarette smokers in the EU, 26.2% (27.5 million persons) engaged in a cross-border tobacco purchase within the past 12 months, of which 56.3% did so because of cheaper price in another country. EU-wide cigarette price differential was significantly associated with making a cross-border tobacco purchase because of cheaper price (adjusted OR=1.34; 95% CI 1.22 to 1.47). Reducing differences in cigarette tax and price within the EU, coupled with a stricter limitation on the quantity of cigarettes that it is possible to carry from one Member State to another, may help reduce cross-border tax avoidance strategies. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Assessments of direct human exposure: the approach of EU risk assessments compared to scenario-based risk assessment.

PubMed

Wormuth, Matthias; Demou, Evangelia; Scheringer, Martin; Hungerbühler, Konrad

2007-08-01

The awareness of potential risks emerging from the use of chemicals in all parts of daily life has increased the need for risk assessments that are able to cover a high number of exposure situations and thereby ensure the safety of workers and consumers. In the European Union (EU), the practice of risk assessments for chemicals is laid down in a Technical Guidance Document; it is designed to consider environmental and human occupational and residential exposure. Almost 70 EU risk assessment reports (RARs) have been finalized for high-production-volume chemicals during the last decade. In the present study, we analyze the assessment of occupational and consumer exposure to trichloroethylene and phthalates presented in six EU RARs. Exposure scenarios in these six RARs were compared to scenarios used in applications of the scenario-based risk assessment approach to the same set of chemicals. We find that scenarios used in the selected EU RARs to represent typical exposure situations in occupational or private use of chemicals and products do not necessarily represent worst-case conditions. This can be due to the use of outdated information on technical equipment and conditions in workplaces or omission of pathways that can cause consumer exposure. Considering the need for exposure and risk assessments under the new chemicals legislation of the EU, we suggest that a transparent process of collecting data on exposure situations and of generating representative exposure scenarios is implemented to improve the accuracy of risk assessments. Also, the data sets used to assess human exposure should be harmonized, summarized in a transparent fashion, and made accessible for all risk assessors and the public.

From DTCA-PD to patient information to health information: the complex politics and semantics of EU health policy.

PubMed

Brooks, Eleanor; Geyer, Robert

2012-12-01

Between 2001 and 2011 the pharmaceutical industry, supported by DG Enterprise, was engaged in an ongoing campaign to repeal/amend the European Union (EU) ban on direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs (DTCA-PD). As it became increasingly clear that the ban would not be repealed, DTCA-PD supporters tried to shift the debate away from advertising and towards the provision of 'patient information' and the rights of patients to access such information. Meanwhile, a variety of national and European health organizations, supported by DG SANCO, sought to maintain the ban and oppose the industry-supported 'patient information' campaign. Instead, they promoted a concept of 'health information' that included all aspects of citizens' health, not just pharmaceuticals. This article aims to analyse the transition from DTCA-PD to patient information to health information and examine its implications for EU health policy as a complex policy space. The article examines the emergence and development of EU health policy and the evolution of the DTCA-PD debate through the lens of complexity theory. It analyses the nature of the semantic, political and policy transition and asks why it occurred, what it tells us about EU health policy and future EU health legislation and how it may be understood from a complexity perspective. The article concludes that the complexity framework is ideally suited for the field of public health and, in particular, the DTCA-PD debate. Having successfully shifted the policy-focus of the debate to patients' rights and health information, opponents of the legislation are likely to face their next battle in the realm of cyberspace, where regulatory issues change the nature of advertising. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Financial implications of compliance with EU waste management goals: Feasibility and consequences in a transition country.

PubMed

Mihajlović, Višnja; Vujić, Goran; Stanisavljević, Nemanja; Batinić, Bojan

2016-09-01

This paper outlines the approach that can assist decision makers to have first preliminary insights regarding costs of complying with requested European Union municipal waste management goals in transition and developing countries. Serbia, as a joining member of European Union, must confront itself with the challenges resulting from European Union waste management directives. Implementation of waste separation units and the construction of sanitary landfills is already in place in Serbia. However, new waste management practice will need additional transformation and will require implementation of waste treatment technologies for additional management of generated waste. Implementation of analyzed best available technology/techniques for waste treatment can support the country's effort in reaching the policy goals. However, the question here is how much will the implementation of additional waste treatments influence the overall waste management costs? Results of the scenario's financial viability show that composting and sanitary landfill are the most viable solutions regarding the costs, even under increasing discount rates. Although different discount rates influence the overall gate fees and net present values, the level of affordability for different scenarios remains the same. © The Author(s) 2016.

Harmonization of European neurology education: the junior doctor's perspective.

PubMed

Macerollo, Antonella; Struhal, Walter; Sellner, Johann

2013-10-29

The objective of this article, written by executives of the European Association of Young Neurologists and Trainees (EAYNT), is to illustrate the status quo of neurology training in Europe and give an outlook on ongoing efforts and prospects for junior neurologists. The European Union is an economic and political union that currently encompasses 27 member states with more than 500 million inhabitants (or 7.3% of the world population) (interested readers are referred to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union). Countries of the European Union act as a single market with free movement of citizens, goods, services, and finances. As a consequence, a diploma and postgraduate training obtained in one EU country will be automatically recognized by all other EU member states. At the Lisbon European Council in March 2000, the Heads of State or Government signed a treaty that expresses their ambition of making Europe "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion" (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon_Strategy). More than 1.6 million physicians in all the different medical specialties are represented by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS). The UEMS was founded in 1958 and the objectives include the study, promotion, and harmonization of the highest level of training of medical specialists, medical practice, and health care within the European Union. The European Board of Neurology (UEMS-EBN; www.uems-neuroboard.org) is in charge of the implementation of the UEMS policy regarding neurology.

Technical assistance development soil management policy in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spruyt, Eva; Helsen, Stefan; Hambach, Patrick; Cuyvers, Lars

2014-05-01

As from the first of July 2013, Croatia became a EU member country and therefore has to comply with all the EU-rules (the "acquis") as defined in the European Council in Copenhagen in 1993. One of the aspects of this acquis is the protection and conservation of the soil and groundwater and the remediation of contaminated sites that cause human and environmental risks. On behalf of the Department of Environment, Nature and Energy of the Flemish government together with the Public Waste Agency of Flanders(OVAM), ECOREM was assigned to carry out this study. The scope of this study therefore focuses on the aspect of soil management that can be divided into two main policies, beïng the policy for the prevention of soil contamination from new activities(1) and the policy for the management and remediation of historical soil contamination from local sources like industrial sites(2). To form a soil management policy, Croatia must start from the legal obligations enforced by the European Union. One of the European Directives regulating the monitoring and protection of soil and groundwater is the new Industrial Emission Directive ('IED' - 2010/78/EU) from the 24th of November 2010. Whereas the framework of the Directive is larger than contamination of soil , the focus of this study was limited to soil contamination only. In order to comply with the existing EU policy contributing to soil protection, the regulations in the IED, the Croatian government needs to adapt existing legislations or apply new regulations regarding soil monitoring for the industrial activities. Also other EU Directives enforce actions contributing to soil protection. Therefore, a questionnaire with different sorts of questions was sent to the different stakeholders (environmental institutes, agencies, ministries,…). The results were interpreted and allowed Ecorem, being the environmental consultant, to evaluate the gaps in the environmental and soil management policy. This study gives advice on how to integrate these regulations in the existing legislation of Croatia within the current policy of Ministries and Agencies. Therefore an inventory study of the current environmental legislation and governmental organization has been carried out. The inventory study evaluates the process of implementing the EID and other Directives, within the new membership of Croatia in the EU. Taking into account the future Soil Framework Directive and the Proposal of 2010, the study makes suggestions to implement future regulations for the protection and monitoring of the soil and the groundwater for potentially soil-contaminating activities. Finally, the study makes suggestions on how to determine standards for contamination parameters, procedures, definitions, … Input for these needs were obtained through the stakeholders.

The EU environmental policy context for monitoring for and with raptors in Europe.

PubMed

Duke, Guy

2008-09-01

This paper outlines the importance of the policy context for monitoring with and for raptors, and, conversely, of the importance of such monitoring for policy. It then outlines two key areas of European Union (EU) environmental policy most relevant to monitoring for and with raptors, namely biodiversity policy and pollution policy. For each of the policy areas, the pertinent objectives and actions of the current EU policy are identified, and their relevance for raptor monitoring is discussed. The potential contribution of raptor monitoring to the further development of these policy areas is also addressed.

Global health in the European Union – a review from an agenda-setting perspective

PubMed Central

Aluttis, Christoph; Krafft, Thomas; Brand, Helmut

2014-01-01

This review attempts to analyse the global health agenda-setting process in the European Union (EU). We give an overview of the European perspective on global health, making reference to the developments that led to the EU acknowledging its role as a global health actor. The article thereby focusses in particular on the European interpretation of its role in global health from 2010, which was formalised through, respectively, a European Commission Communication and European Council Conclusions. Departing from there, and based on Kingdon's multiple streams theory on agenda setting, we identify some barriers that seem to hinder the further establishment and promotion of a solid global health agenda in the EU. The main barriers for creating a strong European global health agenda are the fragmentation of the policy community and the lack of a common definition for global health in Europe. Forwarding the agenda in Europe for global health requires more clarification of the common goals and perspectives of the policy community and the use of arising windows of opportunity. PMID:24560264

The bioeconomy in Poland within the context of the European Union.

PubMed

Woźniak, Ewa; Twardowski, Tomasz

2018-01-25

This article outlines the potential of the development of bioeconomy in Poland in the context of the European Union (EU). The analyses take into account the concept of bioeconomy, the overview of documents referring to the bioeconomy in the EU, including policy frameworks and agendas. Many countries including Poland emphasise the importance of bioeconomy, but have not yet developed a complex strategy. The state of bioeconomy in Poland is characterised by the sectors of agriculture, forestry and food production, as well as parts of the chemical, biotechnology and energy industries. In 2014 the global production volume in the Polish bioeconomy amounted to PLN 343 billion with the sector employing almost 3 million staff. However, the structure of the bioeconomy is dominated by traditional sectors, such as agriculture and agro-food industries. This article presents the analysis of research and development activity in Poland from 2009 to 2015. It reports the position of Poland on GMOs and their future development potential. It is worth mentioning that many EU states including Poland have declared themselves as being "GMO-free countries". Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The healthcare system and the provision of oral healthcare in European Union member states: Part 5: Romania.

PubMed

Oancea, R; Amariei, C; Eaton, K A; Widström, E

2016-04-01

Romania is one of the newest member states of the European Union (EU). It has 13 dental schools, 14,841 dentists and 2,935 dental technicians providing oral health care for a population, at 31 December 2014, of 21.3 million. The shift from a communist system to a democratic or capitalist society has contributed to an enormous change in the proportion of public and private sector oral health services. The lack of public funds during the post-communist years has contributed to a dependency on private oral healthcare rather than the government financed public provision. Affordability and social awareness have together established a mixed economy for oral health care costs and oral healthcare is growing slowly compared with other developed EU member states. At the same time, there has been overproduction of new dentists (currently 1500 graduate annually). This has led to un and under-employment and emigration of dentists to other EU member states. This paper explains the current oral healthcare system in Romania and changes in recent years.

Mobile surveillance units (MSU) for border protection of the enlarged economic union

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crandon, Christopher

2004-12-01

During the last 12 years the European Union (EU) has financed the new member applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe in their preparation for joining the EU. Based on this enlargement of the EU, funding for Cross Border Protection has been made available from the overall infrastructure improvement budget. Border protection was required in areas where border conflicts had taken place and to limit Illegal Immigration (II) and smuggling. After 9/11/2001, defence against terrorist activities will no doubt be added to the requirement. This paper describes the approach taken in the design of the latest "containerised" police and para military Mobile Surveillance Units (MSUs). This approach may also be considered for Homeland Security initiatives. These MSU's utilise standard road vehicles, and off-road variants, converted to use high performance military thermal imagers, such as SiGMA. In future the current, in service, MSUs will require increased sensor integration and networking to cover land and coastal borders. The underlying key is affordability for the police and para-military markets whilst retaining the highest performance derived from the latest SFPA military standard thermal imagers.

European Union policy on smokeless tobacco: a statement in favour of evidence based regulation for public health

PubMed Central

Bates, C; Fagerstrom, K; Jarvis, M; Kunze, M; McNeill, A; Ramstrom, L

2003-01-01

Rationale: This statement is an updated version of one released by the same authors in February 2003. The statement was produced to follow up the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Tobacco Advisory Group report "Protecting smokers, saving lives: the case for a tobacco and nicotine regulatory authority",1 which argued for an evidence based regulatory approach to smokeless tobacco and harm reduction and posed a series of questions that regulators must address in relation to smokeless tobacco. The purpose of this statement is to provide arguments of fact and principle to follow the RCP's report and to outline the public health case for changing existing European Union (EU) regulation in this area. A review of regulation in relation to harm reduction and regulation of tobacco products other than cigarettes is required in Article 11 of EU directive 2001/37/EC,2 and this is a contribution towards forming a consensus in the European public health community about what policy the EU should adopt in the light of this review, or following ongoing legal action that may potentially strike out the existing regulation altogether. Public health case: We believe that the partial ban applied to some forms of smokeless tobacco in the EU should be replaced by regulation of the toxicity of all smokeless tobacco. We hold this view for public health reasons: smokeless tobacco is substantially less harmful than smoking and evidence from Sweden suggests it is used as a substitute for smoking and for smoking cessation. To the extent there is a "gateway" it appears not to lead to smoking, but away from it and is an important reason why Sweden has the lowest rates of tobacco related disease in Europe. We think it is wrong to deny other Europeans this option for risk reduction and that the current ban violates rights of smokers to control their own risks. For smokers that are addicted to nicotine and cannot or will not stop, it is important that they can take advantage of much less hazardous forms of nicotine and tobacco—the alternative being to "quit or die"... and many die. While nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) may have a role in harm reduction, tobacco based harm reduction options may reach more smokers and in a different, market based, way. Chewing tobacco is not banned or regulated in the EU but is often highly toxic, and our proposal could remove more products from the market than it permitted. Regulatory options: We believe that the EU policy on smokeless tobacco should adapt to new scientific knowledge and that the European Commission should bring forward proposals to amend or replace Article 8 of directive 2001/37/EC with a new regulatory framework. Canada has developed testing regimens for tobacco constituents and these could be readily adapted to the European situation. A review of EU policy in this area is required no later than December 2004, and we believe the Commission should expedite the part of its review that deals with harm reduction and regulation of tobacco products other than cigarettes so as to reconsider its policy on smokeless tobacco. We held this view before Swedish Match brought its legal proceedings to challenge EU legislation and we will continue to hold these views if its action fails. PMID:14660767

Irradiated bivalve mollusks: Use of EPR spectroscopy for identification and dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alberti, Angelo; Chiaravalle, Eugenio; Fuochi, Piergiorgio; Macciantelli, Dante; Mangiacotti, Michele; Marchesani, Giuliana; Plescia, Elena

2011-12-01

High energy radiation treatment of foodstuff for microbial control and shelf-life extension is being used in many countries. However, for consumer protection and information, the European Union has adopted the Directives 1999/2/EC and 1999/3/EC to harmonize the rules concerning the treatment and trade of irradiated foods in EU countries. Among the validated methods to detect irradiated foods the EU directives also include Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR/ESR) spectroscopy.We describe herein the use of EPR for identification of four species of bivalve mollusks, i.e. brown Venus shells (Callista chione), clams (Tapes semidecussatus), mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and oysters (Ostrea edulis) irradiated with 60Co γ-rays. EPR could definitely identify irradiated seashells due to the presence of long-lived free radicals, primarily CO2-, CO33-, SO2- and SO3- radical anions. The presence of other organic free radicals, believed to originate from conchiolin, a scleroprotein present in the shells, was also ascertained. The use of one of these radicals as a marker for irradiation of brown Venus shells and clams can be envisaged. We also propose a dosimetric protocol for the reconstruction of the administered dose in irradiated oysters.

New directions for migration policy in Europe.

PubMed Central

Laczko, Frank

2002-01-01

There is a growing debate about the future direction of migration policy in Europe. After nearly 30 years of pursuing restrictive immigration and asylum policies, many European Union (EU) governments are beginning to re-assess their migration policies and to call for a new approach. For the first time in many years, several EU governments have begun to talk again about the benefits of labour migration and, even more significantly, have even begun to take action to recruit more migrants, especially skilled workers. This paper looks at the background to current calls for a new approach to migration in Europe and public reaction to these new initiatives. It first describes recent trends in migration in Europe and then briefly considers the demographic case for more migration. This is followed by a brief outline of some of the measures being considered by European governments to promote selective labour migration. The remainder of the paper is devoted to a discussion of some of the implications of this change in policy, focusing on two main issues: the likely consequences for sending countries, and the implications for the fight against the smuggling and trafficking of people. PMID:12028795

European activities in radiation protection in medicine.

PubMed

Simeonov, Georgi

2015-07-01

The recently published Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom ('new European Basic Safety Standards', EU BSS) modernises and consolidates the European radiation protection legislation by taking into account the latest scientific knowledge, technological progress and experience with implementing the current legislation and by merging five existing Directives into a single piece of legislation. The new European BSS repeal previous European legislation on which the national systems for radiation protection in medicine of the 28 European Union (EU) Member States are based, including the 96/29/Euratom 'BSS' and the 97/43/Euratom 'Medical Exposure' Directives. While most of the elements of the previous legislation have been kept, there are several legal changes that will have important influence over the regulation and practice in the field all over Europe-these include, among others: (i) strengthening the implementation of the justification principle and expanding it to medically exposed asymptomatic individuals, (ii) more attention to interventional radiology, (iii) new requirements for dose recording and reporting, (iv) increased role of the medical physics expert in imaging, (v) new set of requirements for preventing and following up on accidents and (vi) new set of requirements for procedures where radiological equipment is used on people for non-medical purposes (non-medical imaging exposure). The EU Member States have to enforce the new EU BSS before January 2018 and bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with it. The European Commission has certain legal obligations and powers to verify the compliance of the national measures with the EU laws and, wherever necessary, issue recommendations to, or open infringement cases against, national governments. In order to ensure timely and coordinated implementation of the new European legal requirements for radiation protection, the Commission is launching several actions including promotion and dissemination activities, exchange and discussion fora and provision of guidance. These actions will be based on previous experiences and will rely on the results of recent and ongoing EU-funded projects. Important stakeholders including the Euratom Article 31 Group, the association of the Heads of European Radiological protection Competent Authorities (HERCA) and different European professional and specialty organisations will be involved. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Innovation in Psychology Teaching in Europe: A Scoping Survey of European Union Universities Use of Technology, Aims and Status of Teaching, Drivers of Change, and a Thematic Review of Recent Publications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Peter; Hammond, Jennifer; Lewandowska, Anna; Trapp, Annie; Marques, J. Frederico

2014-01-01

To investigate innovation in psychology teaching in European Union (EU) higher education, Europlat partners were surveyed and 43 replies were received from 30 countries. Estimated use of e-learning and other technologies including e-books and journals, virtual learning environments, lecture recording, plagiarism detection, laboratory simulation…

Competence and Human Resource Development in Multinational Companies in Three European Union Member States: A Comparative Analysis between Austria, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. CEDEFOP Panorama Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markowitsch, Jorg; Kollinger, Iris; Warmerdam, John; Moerel, Hans; Konrad, John; Burell, Catherine; Guile, David

A comparative analysis of human resources development and management in the subsidiaries of three multinational companies (Xerox, Glaxo Wellcome, and AXA Nordstern Colonia) was conducted in these three European Union (EU) member states: Austria, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Case studies were used, focusing on competence needs and…

"Sport & Exercise Pedagogy". The Case for a New Integrative Sub-Discipline in the Field of Sport & Exercise Sciences/Kinesiology/Human Movement Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armour, Kathleen M.; Chambers, Fiona C.

2014-01-01

The European Union Sport Unit has identified the societal and educational role of sport as a central topic in its new research agenda. It is argued that European Union (EU) citizens should be supported to learn continuously across the life course. In the sport/physical activity (PA) context, the role of teachers, coaches and exercise instructors…

Labour Market Outcomes of Vocational Education in Europe: Evidence from the European Union Labour Force Survey. Research Paper No 32

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, 2013

2013-01-01

This report focuses on the outcomes of vocational education and, in particular, on the transition from education to work in the current employment situation for young adults in the European Union. Using anonymised microdata from the EU labour force survey 2009 ad hoc module, this is one of the first studies to undertake a large cross-country…

Use of Simulation in Nursing Education: Initial Experiences on a European Union Lifelong Learning Programme--Leonardo Da Vinci Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terzioglu, Fusun; Tuna, Zahide; Duygulu, Sergul; Boztepe, Handan; Kapucu, Sevgisun; Ozdemir, Leyla; Akdemir, Nuran; Kocoglu, Deniz; Alinier, Guillaume; Festini, Filippo

2013-01-01

Aim: The aim of this paper is to share the initial experiences on a European Union (EU) Lifelong Learning Programme Leonardo Da Vinci Transfer of Innovation Project related to the use of simulation-based learning with nursing students from Turkey. The project started at the end of the 2010 involving 7 partners from 3 different countries including…

Gambling in Finland: problem gambling in the context of a national monopoly in the European Union.

PubMed

Tammi, Tuukka; Castrén, Sari; Lintonen, Tomi

2015-05-01

To describe and analyse the Finnish gambling market, regulatory system and the state of gambling research as well as the treatment system in operation for problem gamblers. A review of the literature and official documents relating to gambling in Finland, focusing primarily on the 1990s and 2000s. Only in recent years have gambling problems become a major issue for public debate in Finland. One reason for the increase in activity to address gambling problems is that, after Finland became a member of the European Union in 1995, the Finnish state gambling monopoly and its compatibility with European Union (EU) regulations have been questioned repeatedly. Since 2000, the Finnish government has put significant new resources into the research as well as the prevention and treatment of gambling problems. The resources grew from almost nothing to several million Euros in less than 10 years. This could be seen as an attempt to protect the national gambling monopoly system by showing that the Finnish monopoly system meets EU requirements. Since joining the European Union in 1995, the Finnish government has been able to maintain its gambling monopoly by providing substantial resources to signal a commitment to minimizing problem gambling. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan--a regional programme of measures for the marine environment based on the Ecosystem Approach.

PubMed

Backer, Hermanni; Leppänen, Juha-Markku; Brusendorff, Anne Christine; Forsius, Kaj; Stankiewicz, Monika; Mehtonen, Jukka; Pyhälä, Minna; Laamanen, Maria; Paulomäki, Hanna; Vlasov, Nikolay; Haaranen, Tarja

2010-05-01

The Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) Baltic Sea Action Plan, adopted by the coastal countries of the Baltic Sea and the European Community in November 2007, is a regional intergovernmental programme of measures for the protection and management of the marine environment explicitly based on the Ecosystem Approach. The Action Plan is structured around a set of Ecological Objectives used to define indicators and targets, including effect-based nutrient input ceilings, and to monitor implementation. The Action Plan strongly links Baltic marine environmental concerns to important socio-economic fields such as agriculture and fisheries and promotes cross-sectoral tools including marine spatial planning. Due to complementarities with the European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Action Plan is in essence a pilot for this process without neglecting the important role of the Russian Federation - the only Baltic coastal country not a member of the EU. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food Safety Hazards and Microbiological Zoonoses in European Meat Imports Detected in Border Inspection in the Period 2008-2013.

PubMed

Jansen, W; Grabowski, N; Gerulat, B; Klein, G

2016-02-01

Microbiological contaminations and other food safety hazards are omnipresent within the European Union (EU) and a considerable risk for consumers, particularly in imported meat and meat products. The number of rejections at external EU borders has been increasing in recent years. Official authorities in each member state are therefore obliged to notify border rejections of food and animal feed due to a direct or indirect risk to human or animal health. This study explored the trends and temporal and spatial distribution of notifications on food safety hazards between January 2008 and December 2013 with a special emphasis on microbiological zoonoses in meat and meat products including poultry at border checks resulting from the rapid alert system for food and feed (RASFF). Results indicated that border rejection notifications are increasing exponentially, frequently due to Salmonella in poultry and shiga-toxin-producing E. coli in meat and meat products. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Wide disparity of clinical genetics services and EU rare disease research funding across Europe.

PubMed

Lynch, Sally Ann; Borg, Isabella

2016-04-01

The origins of clinical genetics services vary throughout Europe with some emerging from paediatric medicine and others from an academic laboratory setting. In 2011, the cross-border patients' rights directive recommended the creation of European Research Networks (ERNs) to improve patient care throughout EU. In 2013, the EU recommendation on the care for rare diseases came into place. The process of designating EU centres of expertise in rare diseases is being implemented to allow centres to enter ERNs. Hence, this is an opportune time to reflect on the current status of genetic services and research funding throughout Europe as 80 % of rare diseases have a genetic origin. Our aims were to determine (a) whether EU countries are prepared in terms of appropriate clinical genetic staffing to fulfil the European Union Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases (EUCERD) criteria that will allow national centres to be designated as centres of expertise, (b) which EU countries are successful in grant submissions to EU rare disease research funding and (c) country of origin of researchers from the EU presenting their research work as a spoken presentation at the European Society of Human Genetics annual conference. Our results show there is wide disparity of staffing levels per head of population in clinical genetics units throughout Europe. EU rare disease research funding is not being distributed equitably and the opportunity to present research is skewed with many countries not achieving spoken presentations despite abstract submissions. Inequity in the care of patients with rare diseases exists in Europe. Many countries will struggle to designate centres of expertise as their staffing mix and levels will not meet the EUCERD criteria which may prevent them from entering ERNs. The establishment of a small number of centres of expertise centrally, which is welcome, should not occur at the expense of an overall improvement in EU rare disease patient care. Caution should be observed to ensure that the inequity gap that already exists does not widen with the development of ERNs.

One WEEE, many species: lessons from the European experience.

PubMed

Deepali Sinha Khetriwal; Widmer, Rolf; Kuehr, Ruediger; Huisman, Jaco

2011-09-01

Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) pervades modern lifestyles, but its quick obsolescence is resulting in huge quantities of EEE to be disposed of. This fast-growing waste stream has been recognized for its hazard potential. The European Union's (EU) Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive was essentially in response to the toxicity of e-waste - to ensure that it was collected and treated in an environmentally sound manner. Since then, the WEEE Directive has expanded its aims to include recovery of valuable resources as a means to reduce raw material extraction. With these objectives in mind, the Directive sets a common minimum legislative framework for all EU member states. However, the transposition of the Directive into national legislations has meant many differences in actual implementation models. There are 27 national transpositions of the Directive with different definitions, provisions and agreements. Each legislation reflects national situations, whether they are geographical considerations, legislative history, the influence of lobby groups and other national priorities. Although this diversity in legislations has meant massive problems in compliance and enforcement, it provides an opportunity to get an insight into the possible operational models of e-waste legislation. Building on the study by the United Nations University commissioned by the European Commission as part of its 2008 Review of the WEEE Directive, the paper identifies some key features of the Directive as well as legislative and operational differences in transposition and implementation in the various members states. The paper discusses the successes and challenges of the Directive and concludes with lessons learnt from the European experience.

Treatments of low-priority and the Patient Mobility Directive 2011, an end to legal uncertainty for the English NHS?

PubMed

Sheppard, Maria K

2013-06-01

The patient mobility case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union created legal uncertainty for the healthcare systems of EU Member States. The Patient Mobility Directive setting out patients' cross-border rights was adopted to end this uncertainty. With the Directive to be transposed into national law by October 2013 this article discusses whether the Directive achieves this objective for the English NHS. It contrasts the legal position of the NHS patient under case law and under the Directive regarding the need for prior authorisation of cross-border treatment, the level of reimbursement and the ambit of the healthcare benefits basket. It is argued that the risk of legal challenge may persist under the Directive, specifically regarding treatments which are classified by health authorities as low priority, namely treatments which are either not 'generally' available or only available subject to certain clinical criteria or access thresholds.

Competence areas of nursing students in Europe.

PubMed

Satu, Kajander-Unkuri; Leena, Salminen; Mikko, Saarikoski; Riitta, Suhonen; Helena, Leino-Kilpi

2013-06-01

The focus of this study is on European nursing education, where there have been several reforms over the last two decades attempting to harmonise curricula and degree structures. One of the most powerful reforms was started by the Bologna Declaration in 1999; since then, significant progress has been made towards achieving the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in education practice. The Directive of recognition of professional qualifications (2005/36/EC) regulates nursing education. All these strategies aim to harmonise nursing education, but specific competence areas in nursing are still missing within the European Union (EU). The purpose of this review was to seek competence areas for nursing students within the EU as identified in previous studies and other documents. Altogether, 67 competence areas were identified and classified into eight main categories: (1) professional and ethical values and practice, (2) nursing skills and intervention, (3) communication and interpersonal skills, (4) knowledge and cognitive ability, (5) assessment and improving quality in nursing, (6) professional development, (7) leadership, management and teamwork, and (8) research utilisation. In order to obtain a comprehensive concept of competence, more research is needed on nursing students' competence areas across the EU due to the fact that the EU is a common labour market and nurses are educated for the EU as a whole. Nursing is a global profession and nurse competence is central to patient care outcomes, so it is also internationally important that nurses have good competence. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

All EU hands to the EU pumps: the Science Academies of Europe (EASAC) recommend strong support of research to tackle antibacterial resistance.

PubMed

Gyssens, I C

2008-10-01

Despite many European Union (EU) conferences on fighting microbial resistance, rates of resistance in Europe continue to increase. Although research is catching up with discovery, the development of new antimicrobials is threatened by economic factors, in particular the need for a return of investment via high-volume sales. The EU should invest in independent research into the economic and business aspects of antibiotic development. Multidisciplinary input from the fields of finance, law, marketing, sociology and psychology will inform a broad agenda for change at the regulatory, academic and commercial levels and identify new options for novel anti-infective research and development, as recently recommended by the Science Academies of Europe (EASAC).

[Internship-test reveals increased knowledge gaps].

PubMed

Östgren, Carl-Johan; Krook-Brandt, Margareta; Carlborg, Andreas

2016-04-08

We present the results of the medical knowledge test after fulfilled internship for Swedish medical authorization during the years 2009 to the spring of 2015. A total of 7,613 tests were analyzed. Interns graduated from Swedish universities failed in 2.7% to 3.8% of the test moments. Interns who graduated from countries within the European Union (EU) failed in 21.2% and interns graduated from a non-EU country failed in 41.6%. The results from those who graduated from EU and non-EU countries have worsened compared to an earlier study in 2009. Proper measures have now to be implemented for doctors graduated from a non-Swedish university to improve the outcome and introduction to the Swedish health care system.

Rights of dental patients in the EU - a legal assessment.

PubMed

Van den Bossche, Anne-Marie; Ploscar, Paula

2012-11-30

This contribution presents the legal framework for intra-European mobility of dental patients. After presenting the EU competences in respect of healthcare and a brief look into the various routes of patient mobility, the article sets out the rules for access to dental care, treatment abroad and reimbursement through social security. In addition, we focus on the impact of European Union (EU) law upon national systems in respect of professional insurance, complaints procedures and information mechanisms. In conclusion, we reflect on the development in EU law of an independent set of rights to cross-border dental care and its consequences for financing and reimbursement of care, as well as for national practices in respect of professional liability and insurance.

Scientific critique of the paper “Climatic distribution of citrus black spot caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa. A historical analysis of disease spread in South Africa” by Martínez-Minaya et al. (2015)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The global potential distribution of Phyllosticta citricarpa, the causal organism of citrus black spot (CBS), is at the heart of an ongoing debate on the level of potential pest risk posed by P. citricarpa to citrus producing orchards within the European Union (EU). The EU currently regulates the i...

Comparison of neck skin excision and whole carcass rinse sampling methods for determining Salmonella prevalence and E. coli counts on broiler carcasses before and after immersion chilling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A regulatory agency (FSIS) in the U.S. rinses whole broiler carcasses with 400 ml of 1% buffered peptone water (BPW) for Salmonella detection, while the European Union (EU) samples a 25g composited neck skin from three carcasses. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the FSIS and EU procedures fo...

European Union centralised procedure for marketing authorisation of oncology drugs: an in-depth review of its efficiency.

PubMed

Netzer, Tilo

2006-03-01

In the European Union (EU) 20 anticancer agents have been successfully authorised via the Centralised Procedure since its implementation in 1995. Public information on these 20 agents has been reviewed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the available regulatory mechanisms to facilitate the marketing authorisation of such drugs in the EU. These mechanisms include orphan drug legislation, exceptional circumstances provision and the accelerated evaluation procedure. Based on the fact that the EU orphan drug legislation was not implemented before the year 2000 no conclusions on its effectiveness to facilitate oncology drug development can be drawn today. Much more data are available on the effects of the exceptional circumstances provision, which was used in 6 out of 10 cases over the past four years. An analysis of the clinical data packages indicates that this provision allows authorisation of innovative oncology drugs based on smaller clinical data sets than required for full approval. The accelerated evaluation procedure was used in only one case and significantly reduced the scientific review time at the EU agencies. However, this mechanism does not influence the administrative time at the authorities, which accounted for almost one-third of the overall duration of the EU marketing authorisation procedures for oncology drugs. Revision of the EU drug legislation brings about some changes to the above-described provisions, with the potential for an improvement in the current situation. Thus, its implementation offers the chance to reduce the time that innovative oncology agents take to reach the market, although -- based on experience with the current procedures -- more effort is likely to be required to achieve this goal.

Researchers dodge UK migration cap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dacey, James

2011-03-01

Research scientists are among those to be prioritized under the UK government's new immigration rules that will impose an annual cap on the number of work visas issued to those from outside the European Union (EU).

Acceptability of domestic violence against women in the European Union: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Gracia, Enrique; Herrero, Juan

2006-02-01

The acceptability of domestic violence against women (DVAW) plays an important part in shaping the social environment in which the victims are embedded, which in turn may contribute either to perpetuate or to reduce the levels of DVAW in our societies. This study analyses correlates of the acceptability of DVAW in the European Union (EU). Three level ordinal logistic regression of 13 457 people nested within 212 localities (cities), nested within 15 countries of the EU. Sampling is multistage with random probability. All interviews were face to face in people's homes. The outcome variable was acceptability of DVAW. Multiple correlates at the individual, locality, and country level were analysed. European Union, 1999. National data were used of residents 15 years old and above of all member states in 1999 (n = 13 457). Average response rate was 47%, although it varied across countries (23%-73%). Higher levels of acceptability were reported by those who perceived DVAW as less severe and less frequent. Acceptability is higher among men who know a perpetrator and lower among men who know a victim. Victim blaming attitude is associated with higher levels of acceptability. In countries with higher gender empowerment measure the difference in acceptability among those who blame and those who do not blame the victim is greater. There are still widespread attitudes in the EU such as victim blaming that condone DVAW, contributing to a climate of social acceptability of DVAW. Further efforts to reduce the acceptability of DVAW are still needed.

Defining a common set of indicators to monitor road accidents in the European Union.

PubMed

Farchi, Sara; Molino, Nunzio; Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Borgia, Piero; Krzyzanowski, Michael; Dalbokova, Dafina; Kim, Rokho

2006-07-11

currently road accidents are mostly monitored through mortality and injury rates. This paper reports the methodology and the results of a project set forth by the European Union (EU) and coordinated by the WHO aimed at identifying and evaluating a core set of indicators to monitor the causal chain of road accident health effects. The project is part of the ECOEHIS (Development of Environment and Health Indicators for European Union Countries). a group of experts (WG), identified 14 indicators after a review of the information collected at the EU level, each of them representing a specific aspect of the DPSEEA (Driving, Pressure, State, Exposure, Effect, Action) model applied and adapted to the road accidents. Each indicator was scored according to a list of 16 criteria chosen by the WG. Those found to have a high score were analysed to determine if they were compatible with EU legislation and then tested in the feasibility study. 11 of the 14 indicators found to be relevant and compatible with the criteria of selection were proposed for the feasibility study. Mortality, injury, road accident rate, age of vehicle fleet, and distance travelled are the indicators recommended for immediate implementation. after overcoming the limitations that emerged (absence of a common definition of death by road accident and injury severity, underestimation of injuries, differences in information quality) this core set of indicators will allow Member States to carry out effective internal/external comparisons over time.

Defining a common set of indicators to monitor road accidents in the European Union

PubMed Central

Farchi, Sara; Molino, Nunzio; Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Borgia, Piero; Krzyzanowski, Michael; Dalbokova, Dafina; Kim, Rokho

2006-01-01

Background currently road accidents are mostly monitored through mortality and injury rates. This paper reports the methodology and the results of a project set forth by the European Union (EU) and coordinated by the WHO aimed at identifying and evaluating a core set of indicators to monitor the causal chain of road accident health effects. The project is part of the ECOEHIS (Development of Environment and Health Indicators for European Union Countries). Methods a group of experts (WG), identified 14 indicators after a review of the information collected at the EU level, each of them representing a specific aspect of the DPSEEA (Driving, Pressure, State, Exposure, Effect, Action) model applied and adapted to the road accidents. Each indicator was scored according to a list of 16 criteria chosen by the WG. Those found to have a high score were analysed to determine if they were compatible with EU legislation and then tested in the feasibility study. Results 11 of the 14 indicators found to be relevant and compatible with the criteria of selection were proposed for the feasibility study. Mortality, injury, road accident rate, age of vehicle fleet, and distance travelled are the indicators recommended for immediate implementation. Conclusion after overcoming the limitations that emerged (absence of a common definition of death by road accident and injury severity, underestimation of injuries, differences in information quality) this core set of indicators will allow Member States to carry out effective internal/external comparisons over time. PMID:16834780

The Ideas of the Students of Education Faculty about the European Union Education and Youth Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ergün, Muammer; Kamer, S. Tunay

2009-01-01

The most important issue that Turkey has been dealing with since the beginning of 2000s is the entrance to the European Union and the preparatory activities for this period. No what how it is evaluated, as an opportunity or a threat to which will break us off our cultural values, EU is a reality that our country faces. The programs such as FORCE,…

The new European legislation on traditional herbal medicines: main features and perspectives.

PubMed

Silano, Marco; De Vincenzi, Massimo; De Vincenzi, Alessandro; Silano, Vittorio

2004-03-01

Under the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (July 2003-December 2003) an agreement has been reached by the European Parliament and the Council on the approval of the proposal of Directive of the European Parliament and the Council amending the Directive 2001/83/EC as regards traditional herbal medicinal products. Once implemented in the E.U. Member States, this new Directive will remove the constraints that have made it difficult granting marketing authorisations of herbal substances and preparations as traditional medicinal products under the pre-existing Community legislation. The main features (i.e. traditional herbal medicine definition, simplified registration procedure, provisions for Community herbal monographs and Community list of herbal substances and preparations and establishment of the Committee for Herbal Medicinal Products) of this new Community legislation are analysed and discussed in the present paper together with some expected positive public health impacts.

Offsets and conservation of the species of the EU habitats and birds directives.

PubMed

Regnery, Baptiste; Couvet, Denis; Kerbiriou, Christian

2013-12-01

Biodiversity offsets are intended to achieve no net loss of biodiversity due to economic and human development. A variety of biodiversity components are addressed by offset policies. It is required that loss of protected species due to development be offset under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives in Europe. We call this type of offset a species-equality offset because the offset pertains to the same species affected by the development project. Whether species equality can be achieved by offset design is unknown. We addressed this gap by reviewing derogation files (i.e., specific files that describe mitigation measures to ensure no net loss under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives) from 85 development projects in France (2009-2010). We collected information on type of effect (reversible vs. irreversible) and characteristics of affected and offset sites (i.e., types of species, total area). We analyzed how the type of effect and the affected-site characteristics influenced the occurrence of offset measures. The proportion of species targeted by offset measures (i.e., offset species) increased with the irreversibility of the effect of development and the conservation status of the species affected by development (i.e., affected species). Not all effects on endangered species (International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List) were offset; on average, 82% of affected species would be offset. Twenty-six percent of species of least concern were offset species. Thirty-five percent of development projects considered all affected species in their offset measures. Species richness was much lower in offset sites than in developed sites even after offset proposals. For developed areas where species richness was relatively high before development, species richness at offset sites was 5-10 times lower. The species-equality principle appears to have been applied only partially in offset policies, as in the EU directives. We suggest the application of this principle through offsets is highly important for the long-term conservation of biodiversity in Europe. Compensaciones y Conservación de las Especies de las Directivas de Hábitats y Aves de la UE. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Governmental policies and measures regulating nitrogen and phosphorus from animal manure in European agriculture.

PubMed

Oenema, O

2004-01-01

This paper discusses governmental policies and measures that regulate the use of animal manure in the European Union (EU-15). Systematic intervention by governments with European agriculture in general started at the end of the 19th century. Major changes in governmental policies on agriculture followed after the establishment of the EU and its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 1957. Environmental side effects of the large-scale intensification of agricultural production were addressed following the reform of the CAP and the implementation of various environmental regulations and directives from the beginning of the 1990s. The Nitrate Directive approved in 1991 has exerted, as yet, the strongest influence on intensive livestock production systems. This directive regulates the use of N in agriculture, especially through its mandatory measures to designate areas vulnerable to nitrate leaching and to establish action programs and codes of good agricultural practice for these areas. These measures have to ensure that for each farm the amount of N applied via livestock manure shall not exceed 170 kg x ha(-1) x yr(-1). These measures have large consequences, especially for countries with intensive animal agriculture, including The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Ireland. The mean livestock density in these countries is between 1.5 and 4 livestock units/ha, and the average amounts of N in animal manure range from 100 to 300 kg/ha of agricultural land. More than 10 yr after approval of the Nitrate Directive, there appears to be a delay in the implementation and enforcement in many member states, which reflects in part the major complications that arise from this directive for intensive livestock farming. It also reflects the fact that environmental policies in agriculture have economic consequences. The slow progress in the enforcement of environmental legislations in agriculture combined with the increasing public awareness of food safety, animal welfare, and landscape maintenance call for a more fundamental change in EU agriculture.

Intra-EU agricultural trade, virtual water flows and policy implications.

PubMed

Antonelli, M; Tamea, S; Yang, H

2017-06-01

The development of approaches to tackle the European Union (EU) water-related challenges and shift towards sustainable water management and use is one of the main objectives of Horizon 2020, the EU strategy to lead a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The EU is an increasingly water challenged area and is a major agricultural trader. As agricultural trade entails an exchange of water embodied in goods as a factor of production, this study investigates the region's water-food-trade nexus by analysing intra-regional virtual water trade (VWT) in agricultural products. The analysed period (1993-2011) comprises the enactment of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the year 2000. Aspects of the VWT that are relevant for the WFD are explored. The EU is a net importer of virtual water (VW) from the rest of the world, but intra-regional VWT represents 46% of total imports and 75% of total exports. Five countries account for 60% of total VW imports (Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium) and 65% of total VW exports (The Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium and Spain). Intra-EU VWT more than doubled over the period considered, while trade with extra-EU countries did not show such a marked trend. In the same period, blue VWT increased significantly within the region and net import from the rest of the world slightly decreased. Water scarce countries, such as Spain and Italy, are major exporters of blue water in the region. The traded volumes of VW have been increasing almost monotonically over the years, and with a substantial increase after 2000. The overall trend in changes in VWT does not seem to be in accordance with the WFD goals. This study demonstrated that VWT analyses can help evaluate intertwining effects of water, agriculture and trade policies which are often made separately in respective sectors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

European perspectives of food safety.

PubMed

Bánáti, Diána

2014-08-01

Food safety has been a growing concern among European Union (EU) citizens over the last decades. Despite the fact that food has never been safer, consumers are considerably uncertain and increasingly critical about the safety of their food. The introduction of new principles, such as the primary responsibility of producers, traceability, risk analysis, the separation of risk assessment and risk management provided a more transparent, science-based system in Europe, which can help to restore consumers' lost confidence. The present EU integrated approach to food safety 'from farm to fork' aims to assure a high level of food safety within the EU. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

The challenge of the standardization of nursing specializations in Europe.

PubMed

Ranchal, A; Jolley, M J; Keogh, J; Lepiesová, M; Rasku, T; Zeller, S

2015-12-01

The evolution of health care is driving the need for specialist nursing knowledge. Specialist nurses have undertaken a formal training that focuses on a specific clinical area or population and are legitimated by a professional award or legal status. Specialist nurses are better able to provide the most specific and most appropriate care for both people and populations. This paper considers nursing's loose understanding of 'specialization' and the impact this has on those who seek employment outside their own nation but within the family of nations known as the European Union (EU). There is a lack of standardization for nursing specializations across the European Union that leads to lack of mobility across countries. Reports were reviewed from within the European Union, including specialist nursing groups and regulatory nursing bodies. Nurse specialists can be regarded as operating at nursing's 'leading edge'; however, it is here that nursing lacks organization and common standards. This is readily apparent in a EU bound together by the principle of freedom of movement and common professional and academic standards. It is now time for European Union nurses to look beyond the common standards for pre-registration courses and to consider the development of common standards for specialist nursing. Historical attempts to achieve common standards for specialist nursing have largely been unsuccessful due to the diversity of approaches to nurse specialization. It is time now for this challenge to be re-addressed so that specialist nurses can more freely work throughout the European Union. There is a pressing need for policy makers to define specialist nursing and to enable European Union-wide standards. © 2015 International Council of Nurses.

75 FR 69080 - Federal Travel Regulation (FTR)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-10

... GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) Fly America Act; United States and European Union ``Open Skies'' Air Transport Agreement (US-EU Open Skies Agreement) AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services Administration (GSA). [[Page 69081

Freight transportation : the European market

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-06-01

The purpose of the international scan was to investigate the issues, constraints, opportunities, and challenges : faced by the European Union (EU) in developing a policy of open boundaries and what strategies it uses to : implement the policy. : The ...

Members of the European Parliament (MEP) Heart Group.

PubMed

Tofield, Andros

2013-06-01

The MEP Heart Group is a discussion forum aimed at promoting measures to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in the European Union and raise cardiovascular disease as a priority on the EU political agenda.

Effect of policies on pellet production and forests in the U.S. South: a technical document supporting the Forest Service update of the 2010 RPA Assessment

Treesearch

Karen L. Abt; Robert C. Abt; Christopher S. Galik; Kenneth E. Skog

2014-01-01

Current policies in the European Union (EU) requiring renewable and low greenhouse gas-emitting energy are affecting wood products manufacturing and forests in the United States. These policies have led to increased U.S. pellet production and export to the EU, which has in turn affected U.S. forests and other wood products manufacturing. At this time, the primary...

Recent advances to address European Union Health Security from cross border chemical health threats.

PubMed

Duarte-Davidson, R; Orford, R; Wyke, S; Griffiths, M; Amlôt, R; Chilcott, R

2014-11-01

The European Union (EU) Decision (1082/2013/EU) on serious cross border threats to health was adopted by the European Parliament in November 2013, in recognition of the need to strengthen the capacity of Member States to coordinate the public health response to cross border threats, whether from biological, chemical, environmental events or events which have an unknown origin. Although mechanisms have been in place for years for reporting cross border health threats from communicable diseases, this has not been the case for incidents involving chemicals and/or environmental events. A variety of collaborative EU projects have been funded over the past 10 years through the Health Programme to address gaps in knowledge on health security and to improve resilience and response to major incidents involving chemicals. This paper looks at the EU Health Programme that underpins recent research activities to address gaps in resilience, planning, responding to and recovering from a cross border chemical incident. It also looks at how the outputs from the research programme will contribute to improving public health management of transnational incidents that have the potential to overwhelm national capabilities, putting this into context with the new requirements as the Decision on serious cross border threats to health as well as highlighting areas for future development. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biodiversity funds and conservation needs in the EU under climate change.

PubMed

Lung, Tobias; Meller, Laura; van Teeffelen, Astrid J A; Thuiller, Wilfried; Cabeza, Mar

2014-07-01

Despite ambitious biodiversity policy goals, less than a fifth of the European Union's (EU) legally protected species and habitats show a favorable conservation status. The recent EU biodiversity strategy recognizes that climate change adds to the challenge of halting biodiversity loss, and that an optimal distribution of financial resources is needed. Here, we analyze recent EU biodiversity funding from a climate change perspective. We compare the allocation of funds to the distribution of both current conservation priorities (within and beyond Natura 2000) and future conservation needs at the level of NUTS-2 regions, using modelled bird distributions as indicators of conservation value. We find that funding is reasonably well aligned with current conservation efforts but poorly fit with future needs under climate change, indicating obstacles for implementing adaptation measures. We suggest revising EU biodiversity funding instruments for the 2014-2020 budget period to better account for potential climate change impacts on biodiversity.

The Politics of Global Value Chains: Import-dependent Firms and EU-Asia Trade Agreements.

PubMed

Eckhardt, Jappe; Poletti, Arlo

2016-01-01

In 2006, the European Commission released its Global Europe Communication, in which it announced a shift from a multilateral to a bilateral trade strategy. One of the key pillars of this new strategy was to strengthen the bilateral trade relations with key Asian countries. In contrast to existing analyses that focus on European Union (EU) decision makers' agency, we propose an explanation for this notable shift in the EU's trade policy that stresses the political role of import-dependent firms. In light of the increasing integration of such firms into global value chains, the article argues that a plausible case can be made, both theoretically and empirically, that import-dependent firms had a clear stake in the signing of preferential trade agreements between the EU and Asian countries and that their lobbying efforts significantly affected the EU's decision to start negotiations with South Korea, India and Vietnam.

Complementing, competing, or co-operating? Exploring newspapers' portrayals of the European Parliament and national parliaments in EU affairs.

PubMed

Eisele, Olga

2017-06-07

The paper explores newspapers' portrayals of the European Parliament and national parliaments (NPs) in European Union (EU) affairs. To understand underlying perceptions of journalists, it takes public parliamentary activities and looks at their influence on parliaments' news visibility in Finland, Germany and the UK in routine periods in 2011 and 2012. This is done against the background that parliaments, regarded as ultimate legitimisers of state power, depend on the mass media to reach their citizenry. However, journalists follow their own agenda in publishing parliamentary news. In this regard, they may highlight the complementarity, competition or cooperation of parliaments in the EU's unique multi-tier environment. Overall, our results suggest that NPs correspond stronger with newsmakers' anticipation of readership interest. In addition, findings seem to support the assumption that parliaments in the EU are mostly perceived as complementary, separate legislative branches in EU decision-making.

Potential for Introduction of Bat-Borne Zoonotic Viruses into the EU: A Review

PubMed Central

Simons, Robin R. L.; Gale, Paul; Horigan, Verity; Snary, Emma L.; Breed, Andrew C.

2014-01-01

Bat-borne viruses can pose a serious threat to human health, with examples including Nipah virus (NiV) in Bangladesh and Malaysia, and Marburg virus (MARV) in Africa. To date, significant human outbreaks of such viruses have not been reported in the European Union (EU). However, EU countries have strong historical links with many of the countries where NiV and MARV are present and a corresponding high volume of commercial trade and human travel, which poses a potential risk of introduction of these viruses into the EU. In assessing the risks of introduction of these bat-borne zoonotic viruses to the EU, it is important to consider the location and range of bat species known to be susceptible to infection, together with the virus prevalence, seasonality of viral pulses, duration of infection and titre of virus in different bat tissues. In this paper, we review the current scientific knowledge of all these factors, in relation to the introduction of NiV and MARV into the EU. PMID:24841385

A project to establish a skills competency matrix for EU nurses.

PubMed

Cowan, David T; Norman, Ian J; Coopamah, Vinoda P

Enhanced nurse workforce mobility in the European Union (EU) is seen as a remedy to shortages of nurses in some EU countries and a surplus in others. However, knowledge of differences in competence, culture, skill levels and working practices of nursing staff throughout EU countries is not fully documented because currently no tangible method exists to enable comparison. The European Healthcare Training and Accreditation Network (EHTAN) project intends to address this problem by establishing an assessment and evaluation methodology through the compilation of a skills competency matrix. To this end, subsequent to a review of documentation and literature on nursing competence definition and assessment, two versions of a nursing competence self-assessment questionnaire tool have been developed. The final competence matrix will be translated and disseminated for transnational use and it is hoped that this will inform EU and national policies on the training requirements of nurses and nursing mobility and facilitate the promotion of EU-wide recognition of nursing qualifications.

Migration from new-accession countries and duration expectancy in the EU-15: 2002–2008

PubMed Central

DeWaard, Jack; Ha, Jasmine Trang; Raymer, James; Wiśniowski, Arkadiusz

2016-01-01

European Union (EU) enlargements in 2004 and 2007 were accompanied by increased migration from new-accession to established-member (EU-15) countries. The impacts of these flows depend, in part, on the amount of time that persons from the former countries live in the latter over the life course. In this paper, we develop period estimates of duration expectancy in EU-15 countries among persons from new-accession countries. Using a newly developed set of harmonised Bayesian estimates of migration flows each year from 2002 to 2008 from the Integrated Modelling of European Migration (IMEM) Project, we exploit period age patterns of country-to-country migration and mortality to summarize the average number of years that persons from new-accession countries could be expected to live in EU-15 countries over the life course. In general, the results show that the amount of time that persons from new-accession countries could be expected to live in the EU-15 nearly doubled after 2004. PMID:28286353

Basic and clinical proteomics from the EU Health Research perspective.

PubMed

Dyląg, Tomasz; Jehenson, Philippe; van de Loo, Jan-Willem; Sanne, Jean-Luc

2010-12-01

The European Union (EU) is one of the main public funders of research in Europe and its major instrument for funding is the Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7). The bulk of funding in FP7 goes to collaborative research, with the objective of establishing excellent research projects and networks. Understanding the functions of proteins is essential for the rational development of disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment, therefore the EU has largely invested in proteomics, in particular for technology development, data standardisation and sharing efforts, and the application of proteomics in the clinic. The scientific community, including both academia and industry, is encouraged to apply for FP7 funding so that the EU can even more efficiently support innovative health research and ultimately, bring better healthcare to patients.

How do medical doctors in the European Union demonstrate that they continue to meet criteria for registration and licencing?

PubMed

Solé, Meritxell; Panteli, Dimitra; Risso-Gill, Isabelle; Döring, Nora; Busse, Reinhard; McKee, Martin; Legido-Quigley, Helena

2014-12-01

This paper reviews procedures for ensuring that physicians in the European Union (EU) continue to meet criteria for registration and the implications of these procedures for cross-border movement of health professionals following implementation of the 2005/36/EC Directive on professional qualifications. A questionnaire was completed by key informants in 10 EU member states, supplemented by a review of peer-reviewed and grey literature and a review conducted by key experts in each country. The questionnaire covered three aspects: actors involved in processes for ensuring continued adherence to standards for registration and/or licencing (such as revalidation), including their roles and functions; the processes involved, including continuing professional development (CPD) and/or continuing medical education (CME); and contextual factors, particularly those impacting professional mobility. All countries included in the study view CPD/CME as one mechanism to demonstrate that doctors continue to meet key standards. Although regulatory bodies in a few countries have established explicit systems of ensuring continued competence, at least for some doctors (in Belgium, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Slovenia and the UK), self-regulation is considered sufficient to ensure that physicians are up to date and fit to practice in others (Austria, Finland, Estonia and Spain). Formal systems vary greatly in their rationale, structure, and coverage. Whereas in Germany, Hungary and Slovenia, systems are exclusively focused on CPD/CME, the Netherlands also includes peer review and minimum activity thresholds. Belgium and the UK have developed more complex mechanisms, comprising a review of complaints or compliments on performance and (in the UK) colleague and patient questionnaires. Systems for ensuring that doctors continue to meet criteria for registration and licencing across the EU are complex and inconsistent. Participation in CPD/CME is only one aspect of maintaining professional competence but it is the only one common to all countries. Thus, there is a need to bring clarity to this confused landscape. © 2014 Royal College of Physicians.

Towards tributyltin quantification in natural water at the Environmental Quality Standard level required by the Water Framework Directive.

PubMed

Alasonati, Enrica; Fettig, Ina; Richter, Janine; Philipp, Rosemarie; Milačič, Radmila; Sčančar, Janez; Zuliani, Tea; Tunç, Murat; Bilsel, Mine; Gören, Ahmet Ceyhan; Fisicaro, Paola

2016-11-01

The European Union (EU) has included tributyltin (TBT) and its compounds in the list of priority water pollutants. Quality standards demanded by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) require determination of TBT at so low concentration level that chemical analysis is still difficult and further research is needed to improve the sensitivity, the accuracy and the precision of existing methodologies. Within the frame of a joint research project "Traceable measurements for monitoring critical pollutants under the European Water Framework Directive" in the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP), four metrological and designated institutes have developed a primary method to quantify TBT in natural water using liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and species-specific isotope dilution mass spectrometry (SSIDMS). The procedure has been validated at the Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) level (0.2ngL(-1) as cation) and at the WFD-required limit of quantification (LOQ) (0.06ngL(-1) as cation). The LOQ of the methodology was 0.06ngL(-1) and the average measurement uncertainty at the LOQ was 36%, which agreed with WFD requirements. The analytical difficulties of the method, namely the presence of TBT in blanks and the sources of measurement uncertainties, as well as the interlaboratory comparison results are discussed in detail. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Supporting health systems in Europe: added value of EU actions?

PubMed

Clemens, Timo; Michelsen, Kai; Brand, Helmut

2014-01-01

Since the start of the economic crisis, the European Union's (EU's) predominant discourse has been austerity and fiscal consolidation. The detrimental effects on Europe's health systems and the health status of its citizens are well described. However, little is known about the emerging EU-level initiatives to support national health systems handle the challenges of efficient care provision and system reorganisation aimed to meet their future needs. This review analyses the manner, conditions and prospects of such EU support. First, health system objectives are increasingly entering the EU health policy agenda. Second, professional and patient mobility provisions may support member states (MS) in copying with crisis related health challenges but can potentially acerbate them at the same time. Third, in recent initiatives health system goals are more closely tied to the EU's economic growth narrative. And fourth, health system issues are taken up in existing EU-level structures for debate and exchange between MS. In addition, the design of some policies may have the potential to intensify socioeconomic and health inequalities rather than ameliorate them.

[Drugs in the European Union: the health-market complex].

PubMed

Antoñanzas, Fernando; Rodríguez, Roberto; Sacristán, José Antonio; Illa, Rafael

2005-01-01

To characterize the peculiar economic nature of the pharmaceutical market in the EU, to study potential groupings of countries based on several pharmaceutical variables, to analyze some recent regulations designed to create the single market, and to present some thoughts on the decision making process in public health from the perspective of current public health budgets. We performed an economic analysis of health and pharmaceutical macrovariables, cluster analysis, review of EU pharmaceutical and industrial regulations and review of pharmaceutical budgeting legislation in the member states. The pharmaceutical market of the EU was characterized and EU countries were classified into two principal groups according to 5 selected variables. EU regulations tend to promote R + D and drug production and thus the EU industrial sector is backed up. National regulations differ in terms of pricing and drugs reimbursement. The creation of a single market for drugs in the EU should take this regulatory diversity into account and seek equilibrium between economic factors and public health. This single market may be a dangerous strategy if it becomes a general dogma and even more so if deadlines are fixed and short.

The crisis as catalyst for reframing health care policies in the European Union.

PubMed

Helderman, Jan-Kees

2015-01-01

Seen from the perspective of health, the global financial crisis (GFC) may be conceived of as an exogenous factor that has undermined the fiscal sustainability of European welfare states and consequently, their (expanding) health systems as well. Being one of the core programs of European welfare states, health care has always belonged to the sovereignty of European Member States. However, in past two decades, European welfare states have in fact become semi-sovereign states and the European Union (EU) no longer is an exogenous actor in European health policy making. Today, the EU not only puts limits to unsustainable growth levels in health care spending, it also acts as an health policy agenda setter. Since the outbreak of the GFC, it does so in an increasingly coercive and persuasive way, claiming authority over health system reforms alongside the responsibilities of its Member States.

Environment Eu agrees on cut in greenhouse gases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-03-12

In an unexpected development, the European Union`s (EU) Council of Environment Ministers has agreed to a 2010 deadline for a 15% reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases. The agreement outlines the European Commission`s strategy for the reduction of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}), to be negotiated in the UN conference on climate change to be held in Kyoto, Japan in December (CW, Feb. 26, p. 8). The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) says the commission`s target could curb competitiveness and even lead to the closure of some plants. {open_quotes}It`s certainly a target that is unrealistic--2010 is too close.more » Industry needs more time to adjust, assuming that it can at all,{close_quotes} Cefic environment counselor Claude Culem tells CW. {open_quotes}It [is] obviously a unilateral decision [made] by the commission with little [consideration] for industry.{close_quotes}« less

European Union energy policy integration: A case of European Commission policy entrepreneurship and increasing supranationalism.

PubMed

Maltby, Tomas

2013-04-01

Focusing on gas, this article explores the role of the European Commission in the process of European Union energy security policy development, and the extent to which the policy area is becoming increasingly supranational. Situating the article within the literature on agenda-setting and framing, it is argued that a policy window was opened as a result of: enlargement to include more energy import dependent states, a trend of increasing energy imports and prices, and gas supply disruptions. From the mid-2000s, the Commission contributed to a shift in political norms, successfully framing import dependency as a problem requiring an EU-level solution, based on the institution's pre-existing preferences for a diversified energy supply and internal energy market. Whilst Member States retain significant sovereignty, the Commission has achieved since 2006 creeping competencies in the internal, and to a lesser extent external, dimensions of EU energy policy.

From heterogeneity to harmonization? Recent trends in European health policy.

PubMed

Gerlinger, Thomas; Urban, Hans-Jürgen

2007-01-01

In the European Union (EU), health policy and the institutional reform of health systems have been treated primarily as national affairs, and health care systems within the EU thus differ considerably. However, the health policy field is undergoing a dynamic process of Europeanization. This process is stimulated by the orientation towards a more competitive economy, recently inaugurated and known as the Lisbon Strategy, while the regulatory requirements of the European Economic and Monetary Union are stimulating the Europeanization of health policy. In addition, the so-called open method of coordination, representing a new mode of regulation within the European multi-level system, is applied increasingly to the health policy area. Diverse trends are thus emerging. While the Lisbon Strategy goes along with a strategic upgrading of health policy more generally, health policy is increasingly used to strengthen economic competitiveness. Pressure on Member States is expected to increase to contain costs and promote market-based health care provision.

From the Digital Divide to Digital Inequality: A Secondary Research in the European Union

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stiakakis, Emmanouil; Kariotellis, Pavlos; Vlachopoulou, Maria

The digital divide is nowadays evolving to digital inequality, i.e., the socio-economic disparities inside the 'online population'. This paper examines two main dimensions of the digital inequality, namely 'skills' and 'autonomy' of Internet users. The level of formal education was selected as a representative variable of the skill dimension, as well as the density of population in different geographical areas as a representative variable of the autonomy dimension. The research was focused on the member states of the European Union (EU). The data, provided by Eurostat, included the daily use of computers for the last three months and the average use of the Internet at least once per week. The findings state that the EU already faces the problem of digital inequality to an extended rate, since there are significant disparities among the European countries with regard to the aforementioned variables.

European Union energy policy integration: A case of European Commission policy entrepreneurship and increasing supranationalism

PubMed Central

Maltby, Tomas

2013-01-01

Focusing on gas, this article explores the role of the European Commission in the process of European Union energy security policy development, and the extent to which the policy area is becoming increasingly supranational. Situating the article within the literature on agenda-setting and framing, it is argued that a policy window was opened as a result of: enlargement to include more energy import dependent states, a trend of increasing energy imports and prices, and gas supply disruptions. From the mid-2000s, the Commission contributed to a shift in political norms, successfully framing import dependency as a problem requiring an EU-level solution, based on the institution’s pre-existing preferences for a diversified energy supply and internal energy market. Whilst Member States retain significant sovereignty, the Commission has achieved since 2006 creeping competencies in the internal, and to a lesser extent external, dimensions of EU energy policy. PMID:24926115

An Evaluation of the Policy Context on Psychosocial Risks and Mental Health in the Workplace in the European Union: Achievements, Challenges, and the Future.

PubMed

Leka, Stavroula; Jain, Aditya; Iavicoli, Sergio; Di Tecco, Cristina

2015-01-01

Despite the developments both in hard and soft law policies in the European Union in relation to mental health and psychosocial risks in the workplace, a review of these policies at EU level has not been conducted to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps to be addressed in the future. Keeping in mind that the aim should be to engage employers in good practice, ideally such policies should include key definitions and elements of the psychosocial risk management process, covering risk factors, mental health outcomes, risk assessment and preventive actions, or interventions. The current paper aims to fill this gap by reviewing hard and soft law policies on mental health in the workplace and psychosocial risks applicable at EU level and conducting a gap analysis according to a set of dimensions identified in models of good practice in this area. Our review of ninety-four policies in total revealed several gaps, especially in relation to binding in comparison to nonbinding policies. These are discussed in light of the context of policy-making in the EU, and recommendations are offered for future actions in this area.

An Evaluation of the Policy Context on Psychosocial Risks and Mental Health in the Workplace in the European Union: Achievements, Challenges, and the Future

PubMed Central

Leka, Stavroula; Jain, Aditya; Di Tecco, Cristina

2015-01-01

Despite the developments both in hard and soft law policies in the European Union in relation to mental health and psychosocial risks in the workplace, a review of these policies at EU level has not been conducted to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps to be addressed in the future. Keeping in mind that the aim should be to engage employers in good practice, ideally such policies should include key definitions and elements of the psychosocial risk management process, covering risk factors, mental health outcomes, risk assessment and preventive actions, or interventions. The current paper aims to fill this gap by reviewing hard and soft law policies on mental health in the workplace and psychosocial risks applicable at EU level and conducting a gap analysis according to a set of dimensions identified in models of good practice in this area. Our review of ninety-four policies in total revealed several gaps, especially in relation to binding in comparison to nonbinding policies. These are discussed in light of the context of policy-making in the EU, and recommendations are offered for future actions in this area. PMID:26557655

The state of Health in All policies (HiAP) in the European Union: potential and pitfalls.

PubMed

Koivusalo, Meri

2010-06-01

Health in All Policies (HiAP) was formally legitimated as a European Union (EU) approach in 2006. It resulted from more long-term efforts to enhance action on considering health and health policy implications of other policies, as well as recognition that European-level policies affect health systems and scope for health-related regulation at national level. However, implementation of HiAP has remained a challenge. European-level efforts to use health impact assessment to benefit public health and health systems have not become strengthened by the new procedures. And, as a result of the Lisbon Treaty, European-level policy-making is expected to become more important in shaping national policies. HiAP has at European level remained mostly as rhetoric, but legitimate health arguments and provides policy space for health articulation within EU policy-making. HiAP is a broader approach than health impact assessment and at European level requires consideration of mechanisms that recognise the nature of European policy-making, as well as extending from administrative tools to increased transparency, accountability and scope for health and health policy-related arguments within political decision-making in the EU.

Salmonellosis associated with mass catering: a survey of European Union cases over a 15-year period.

PubMed

Osimani, A; Aquilanti, L; Clementi, F

2016-10-01

Salmonella spp. is the causative agent of a foodborne disease called salmonellosis, which is the second most commonly reported gastrointestinal infection in the European Union (EU). Although over the years the annual number of cases of foodborne salmonellosis within the EU has decreased markedly, in 2014, a total of 88 715 confirmed cases were still reported by 28 EU Member States. The European Food Safety Authority reported that, after the household environment, the most frequent settings for the transmission of infection were catering services. As evidenced by the reviewed literature, which was published over the last 15 years (2000-2014), the most frequently reported causative agents were Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium serovars. These studies on outbreaks indicated the involvement of various facilities, including hospital restaurants, takeaways, ethnic restaurants, hotels, in-flight catering, one fast-food outlet and the restaurant of an amusement park. The most commonly reported sources of infection were eggs and/or egg-containing foods, followed by meat- and vegetable-based preparations. Epidemiological and microbiological studies allowed common risk factors to be identified, including the occurrence of cross-contamination between heat-treated foods and raw materials or improperly cleaned food-contact surfaces.

Matches and mismatches between conservation investments and biodiversity values in the European Union.

PubMed

Sánchez-Fernández, David; Abellán, Pedro; Aragón, Pedro; Varela, Sara; Cabeza, Mar

2018-02-01

Recently, the European Commission adopted a new strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity. Member states are expected to favor a more effective collection and redistribution of European Union (EU) funds under the current Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014-2020. Because of the large spatial variation in the distribution of biodiversity and conservation needs at the continental scale, EU instruments should ensure that countries with higher biodiversity values get more funds and resources for the conservation than other countries. Using linear regressions, we assessed the association between conservation investments and biodiversity values across member states, accounting for a variety of conservation investment indicators, taxonomic groups (including groups of plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates), and indicators of biodiversity value. In general, we found clear overall associations between conservation investments and biodiversity variables. However, some countries received more or less investment than would be expected based on biodiversity values in those countries. We also found that the extensive use of birds as unique indicators of conservation effectiveness may lead to biased decisions. Our results can inform future decisions regarding funding allocation and thus improve distribution of EU conservation funds. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Healthcare waste management practice in the West Black Sea Region, Turkey: A comparative analysis with the developed and developing countries.

PubMed

Ciplak, Nesli; Kaskun, Songul

2015-12-01

The need for proper healthcare waste management has been a crucial issue in many developing countries as it is in Turkey. The regulation regarding healthcare wastes in Turkey was updated in 2005 in accordance with the European Union (EU) waste directives, but it still falls behind meeting the requirements of current waste treatment technologies. Therefore, this study aims to reveal deficiencies, inconsistencies, and improper applications of healthcare waste management in the western part of the Turkish Black Sea Region. In this study, it was revealed that nearly 1 million people live in the region, resulting in 5 million hospital admissions annually. All the healthcare waste produced (1000 tons yr(-1)) is treated in an autoclave plant. However, treating some categories of healthcare wastes in autoclave units mismatches with the EU waste regulations, as alternative treatment technologies are not technically able to treat all types of healthcare wastes. A proper waste management system, therefore, requires an internal segregation scheme to divert these wastes from the main healthcare waste stream. The existing malpractice in the region could cause serious health problems if no measure is taken urgently. It is expected that healthcare waste management in the region and then all across Turkey will be improved with the significant deficiencies and inconsistencies pointed out in this research. In developed countries, specific rules and regulations have already been implemented along with the recommendations for handling of healthcare waste. However, in Turkey, these wastes are treated in autoclave units, which mismatches with the European Union waste regulations, as alternative treatment technologies are not technically capable to treat all types of healthcare wastes. The existing malpractice could cause serious health problems if no measure is taken urgently. The authors demonstrated the existing status of Turkish waste management and revealed deficiencies, inconsistencies, and improper applications in comparison with developed and developing nations to align Turkish practice to European Union requirements.

Public health research systems in the European union

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Strengthening health research is an important objective for international health organisations, but there has been less attention to support for health research in Europe. We describe the public-health (population and organisational level) research systems in the 27 European Union countries. Methods We developed a typology for describing health research structures based on funding streams and strategies. We drew data from internet sources and asked country informants to review these for consistency and completeness. The structures were described as organograms and narratives in country profiles for each of the 27 EU member states. National public-health research structures included public and independent funding organisations, 'mixed' institutions (which receive funds, and both use and allocate them) and provider institutions. Results Most health research is funded through ministries of science or science councils (and sometimes foundations), while parliaments and regions may also contribute. National institutes of public health are usually funded by ministries of health. Many national research organisations both determine research programmes and undertake health research, but there is a move towards public-health sciences within the universities, and a transition from internal grants to competitive funding. Of 27 national research strategies, 17 referred to health and 11 to public health themes. Although all countries had strategies for public health itself, we found little coherence in public-health research programmes. The European Commission has country contact points for both EU research and health programmes, but they do not coordinate with national health-research programmes. Conclusions Public-health research is broadly distributed across programmes in EU countries. Better understanding of research structures, programmes and results would improve recognition for public health in Europe, and contribute to practice. EU ministries of health should give greater attention to national public-health research strategies and programmes, and the European Union and the World Health Organisation can provide coordination and support. PMID:21970897

The European Union’s Policy Regarding Peace and Security in Sub-Saharan Africa Since the End of the Cold War: Concepts and Implementation

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

Alexandra Krause , analyzing the EU’s role as an international actor in Africa, argues that the “policy of the EU towards sub-Saharan Africa – seen from a...Mwesiga Baregu and Christopher Landsberg (London, Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2003), 301-316. 3 Alexandra Krause , “The European Union’s Africa...Intervening Variables,” in Krasner, ed. International Regimes, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1983. Krause , Alexandra. “Die EU als

The Post-9/11 European Union Counterterrorism Response: Legal-Institutional Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.386651. de /diw_econsec0055.pdf. 23 EUROPOL, TE-SAT 2012 EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (The...europoltsat.pdf. 11 should be taken with a certain caution because some of positive outcomes are not known in public. De Goede concludes “due...www.diw.de/documents/publikationen/73/diw_01.c.94888. de /diw_econsec0002.pdf; Bures, EU Counterterrorism Policy, 31-58. 12 Eurobarometer28 as the

Synthetic biology and its regulation in the European Union.

PubMed

Buhk, Hans-Jörg

2014-12-25

The term synthetic biology is used increasingly, but without a clear definition. Most of the recent research carried out in this field is genetic engineering, as defined by current GMO-legislation in the EU. Synthetic biology has developed its own language. In vitro synthesis of DNA also carries the label synthetic biology. It is important to analyze whether present and future activities of synthetic biology are within the scope of existing EU-legislation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of Ict Development Strategy Framework in Chinese Rural Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Meiying; Warren, Martyn; Lang, Yunwen; Lu, Shaokun; Yang, Linnan

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development strategy in Chinese rural areas is an indispensable part of national development strategies. This paper reviews the ICT framework in agriculture and rural areas launched by the Department of Agriculture in China. It compares the rural ICT policies and strategies between China and the European Union (EU). The ICT development strategy framework is analyzed based on the situation in Chinese rural area and the experiences of the EU. Some lessons and suggestions are provided.

Changes in dentist and dental hygienist numbers in the European Union and economic area.

PubMed

Widström, E; Eaton, K A; Luciak-Donsberger, C

2010-08-01

To investigate the extent to which changes in the numbers of dental hygienists and dentists have occurred in the Member States of the European Union and Economic Area (EU/EEA) during the last ten years and discuss the changes in relation to the possibilities of sharing tasks between the two groups. Numbers for active dentists, registered hygienists and EU/EEA member state populations in 2007 were taken from the website of the Council of European Chief Dental Officers (CECDO) (www.cecdo.org) and from CECDO records for the EU/EEA member states in 1998 and for the new EU member states (who joined in 2004 and 2007) in 2000. From these data, population: active dentists, population: registered dental hygienist and active dentists: registered dental hygienist ratios were calculated together with percentage changes in the number of dentists and dental hygienists by member state, between 1998 and 2007 for the old and between 2000 and 2007 for the new EU member states. In 2007, there were a total of 343,922 active dentists and 30,963 registered dental hygienists in the 30 EU/EEA member states plus Switzerland. The mean population to dentist ratio was about 1500:1 and the mean population to dental hygienist ratio (in the 25 states where dental hygienists were registered) was 13,454:1. During the study period, the population of the EU/EEA plus Switzerland increased by less that 3%, the number of dentists increased by 13% and the number dental hygienists by 42%. The overall ratio of active dentists: dental hygienists changed from 18:1 to 11:1. In six of the 30 member states plus Switzerland the population to dental hygienist ratio was between 2000:1 and 6000:1 and the dentist: dental hygienist ratio less than 1:3. Although, most member states educate dental hygienists and their numbers in the EU/EEA during the last 10 years have risen more than the dentist numbers, there are still only a handful countries where the hygienist numbers are great enough to make a significant difference to the delivery of oral health care.

Energy from waste in Europe: an analysis and comparison of the EU 27.

PubMed

Sommer, Manuel; Ragossnig, Arne

2011-10-01

This article focuses on analysing the development of waste-generated energy in the countries of the European Union (EU 27). Besides elaborating the relevant legal and political framework in the waste and energy sector as well as climate protection, the results from correlation analyses based on the databases of the energy statistics from Eurostat are discussed. The share of energy from waste is correlated with macro-economic, waste- and energy-sector-related data, which have been defined as potentially relevant for energy recovery from waste in the countries of the European Union. The results show that a single factor influencing the extent of waste-generated energy could not be isolated as it is being influenced not only by the state of economic development and the state of development of waste management systems in the respective countries but also by energy-sector-related factors and the individual priority settings in those countries. Nevertheless the main driving force for an increase in the utilization of waste for energy generation can be seen in the legal and political framework of the European Union leading to the consequence that market conditions influence the realization of waste management infrastructure for waste-generated energy.

Certain aspects on medical devices software law regulation.

PubMed

Pashkov, Vitalii; Harkusha, Andrii

some kind of easiness of entry in creating software products on various computing platforms has led to such products being made available perhaps without due consideration of potential risks to users and patients and the most valuable reason for this have been lack of regulatory clarity. Some key points on legal regulation of abovementioned sphere is a base of this study. Ukrainian legislation, European Union`s Guidelines on the qualification and classification of standalone software; Guidance for the Content of Premarket Submissions for Software Contained in Medical Devices that works in United States of America. Article is based on dialectical, comparative, analytic, synthetic and comprehensive research methods. in accordance with Ukrainian legislation, software that has a medical purpose could be a medical device. Ukrainian legislation which is established on European Union Medical Devices Directives divide all medical devices on classes. But there aren't any special recommendations or advices on classifications for software medical devices in Ukraine. It is necessary to develop and adopt guidelines on the qualification and classification of medical device software in Ukraine especially considering the harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with the EU legislation, develop special rules for the application of the national mark of conformity for medical device software and defined the « responsible organization » for the medical device software approval process.

The epidemiological transition in Eastern and Western Europe: a historic natural experiment.

PubMed

Karanikolos, Marina; Adany, Roza; McKee, Martin

2017-10-01

The continent of Europe has experienced remarkable changes in the past 25 years, providing scope for natural experiments that offer insight into the complex determinants of health. We analysed trends in life expectancy at birth in three parts of Europe, those countries that were members of the European Union (EU) prior to 2004, countries that joined the European Union since then, and the twelve countries that emerged from the Soviet Union to form the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The contribution of deaths at different ages to these changes was assessed using Arriaga's method of decomposing changes in life expectancy. Europe remains divided geographically, with an East-West gradient. The former Soviet countries experienced a marked initial decline in life expectancy and have only recovered after 2005. However, the situation for those of working ages is little better than in 1990. The pre-2004 EU has seen substantial gains throughout the past 25 years, although there is some evidence that this may be slowing, or even reversing, at older ages. The countries joining the EU in 2004 subsequently began to see some improvements in the early 1990s, but have experienced larger gains since 2000. Europe offers a valuable natural laboratory for understanding the impact of political, economic, and social changes on health. While the historic divisions of Europe are still visible, there is also evidence that individual countries are doing better or worse than their neighbours, providing many lessons that can be learned from. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Fragrance exposure in the UK: has there been a change in the last decade?

PubMed

Webber, L; Keith, D; Walker-Smith, P; Buckley, D A

2018-06-26

Fragrance allergy constitutes a significant public health problem that affects 1-2% of the general population and 6-13% of consecutively patch tested patients 1 . The European Union (EU) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) independently advises the EU on its regulation of allergens such as fragrance. At present, a total of 26 fragrance allergens are subject to mandatory individual labelling on product packaging in the EU, including all 14 that form Fragrance Mixes 1 and 2 in the European and British Baseline patch test series. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The Revenge of Europe: NATO and the Transatlantic Relationship in the Era of the European Union

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-04-01

AU/AF FELLOWS/NNN/2004-04 AIR FORCE FELLOWS (SDE) AIR UNIVERSITY THE REVENGE OF EUROPE NATO AND THE TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP IN THE ERA OF THE...REPORT TYPE N/A 3. DATES COVERED - 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Revenge of Europe Nato and the Transatlantic Relationship in the Era of the European...examines the transatlantic relationship and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in light of the rise of the European Union (EU). Recent

Strategic Planning for Comprehensive Security in the European Union’s Military Operations: EUFOR RD Congo, EUFOR Tchad/RCA, and EUNAVFOR Somalia

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Globalization and Environmental Challenges: Reconceptualizing Security in the 21st Century, 947. 11 Marco A. Ferroni and Ashoka Mody, International Public...Security and Defence Policy, 67–70; Howorth, Security and Defence Policy in the European Union, 152–154. 47 Hubert Zimmermann, “Security Exporters...consilium.europa.eu/showPage.aspx?id=1519&lang=en (accessed 12 March 2010). Ferroni, Marco A. and Ashoka Mody. International Public Goods: Incentives

Trends in cancer mortality in the European Union and accession countries, 1980-2000.

PubMed

Levi, F; Lucchini, F; Negri, E; Zatonski, W; Boyle, P; La Vecchia, C

2004-09-01

Cancer mortality rates and trends over the period 1980-2000 for accession countries to the European Union (EU) in May 2004, which include a total of 75 million inhabitants, were abstracted from the World Health Organization (WHO) database, together with, for comparative purposes, those of the current EU. Total cancer mortality for men was 166/100,000 in the EU, but ranged between 195 (Lithuania) and 269/100,000 (Hungary) in central and eastern European accession countries. This excess related to most cancer sites, including lung and other tobacco-related neoplasms, but also stomach, intestines and liver, and a few neoplasms amenable to treatment, such as testis, Hodgkin's disease and leukaemias. Overall cancer mortality for women was 95/100,000 in the EU, and ranged between 100 and 110/100,000 in several central and eastern European countries, and up to 120/100,000 in the Czech Republic and 138/100,000 in Hungary. The latter two countries had a substantial excess in female mortality for lung cancer, but also for several other sites. Furthermore, for stomach and especially (cervix) uteri, female rates were substantially higher in central and eastern European accession countries. Over the last two decades, trends in mortality were systematically less favourable in accession countries than in the EU. Most of the unfavourable patterns and trends in cancer mortality in accession countries are due to recognised, and hence potentially avoidable, causes of cancer, including tobacco, alcohol, dietary habits, pollution and hepatitis B, plus inadequate screening, diagnosis and treatment. Consequently, the application of available knowledge on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment may substantially reduce the disadvantage now registered in the cancer mortality of central and eastern European accession countries.

A baseline assessment of emergency planning and preparedness in Italian universities.

PubMed

Marincioni, Fausto; Fraboni, Rita

2012-04-01

Besides offering teaching and research services, schools and universities also must provide for the safety and security of their employees, students, and visitors. This paper describes emergency preparedness in a sample of Italian universities. In particular it examines risk perception within a specific professional category (university safety and security officers) in a specific cultural context (Italy). In addition, it discusses the transposition and implementation in a European Union (EU) member state of EU Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989, on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers. The findings highlight heterogeneous and fragmented emergency management models within the Italian university system, underlining the need for a stricter framework of standardised safety protocols and emergency management guidelines. The study also points out that enhancing emergency planning and preparedness in Italian universities entails increasing safety leadership, employee engagement and individual responsibility for safety and security; essentially, it necessitates improving the culture of risk prevention. © 2012 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2012.

Application of the criteria for classification of existing chemicals as dangerous for the environment.

PubMed

Knacker, T; Schallnaß, H J; Klaschka, U; Ahlers, J

1995-11-01

The criteria for classification and labelling of substances as "dangerous for the environment" agreed upon within the European Union (EU) were applied to two sets of existing chemicals. One set (sample A) consisted of 41 randomly selected compounds listed in the European Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances (EINECS). The other set (sample B) comprised 115 substances listed in Annex I of Directive 67/548/EEC which were classified by the EU Working Group on Classification and Labelling of Existing Chemicals. The aquatic toxicity (fish mortality,Daphnia immobilisation, algal growth inhibition), ready biodegradability and n-octanol/water partition coefficient were measured for sample A by one and the same laboratory. For sample B, the available ecotoxicological data originated from many different sources and therefore was rather heterogeneous. In both samples, algal toxicity was the most sensitive effect parameter for most substances. Furthermore, it was found that, classification based on a single aquatic test result differs in many cases from classification based on a complete data set, although a correlation exists between the biological end-points of the aquatic toxicity test systems.

Municipal solid waste system analysis through energy consumption and return approach.

PubMed

Tomić, Tihomir; Schneider, Daniel Rolph

2017-12-01

Inappropriate waste management and poor resource efficiency are two of the biggest problems which European Union is trying to solve through Landfill Directive, Waste Framework Directive and Circular Economy Package by increasing recycling and reuse and reducing waste disposal. In order to meet set goals, new European Union member states must quickly change national legislature and implement appropriate solutions. In the circumstances of strong EU resource and energy dependence, decision makers need to analyse which of the considered waste management systems leads to higher overall benefits ie. which is more sustainable. The main problem in this kind of analysis is a wide range of possible technologies and the difference in inputs and outputs. Sustainability of these systems is analysed through single-score LCA based assessment, using primary energy used to produce materials and energy vectors as a common measure. To ensure reliable results, interoperability between different data sources and material flows of waste and its components are monitored. Tracking external and internal material, and energy flows enable modelling of mutual interactions between different facilities. Resulting PERI, primary energy return based index, is used for comparison of different waste management scenarios. Results show that time and legislation dependent changes have great influence on decision making related to waste management and interconnected systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences in national legislation for the implementation of lead regulations included in the European directive for the protection of the health and safety of workers with occupational exposure to chemical agents (98/24/EC).

PubMed

Taylor, Andrew; Angerer, Jurgen; Arnaud, Josiane; Claeys, Françoise; Kristiansen, Jesper; Mazarrasa, Olav; Menditto, Antonio; Patriarca, Marina; Pineau, Alain; Valkonen, Sinikka; Weykamp, Cas

2007-01-01

The European Council Directive 98/24 on the protection of the health and safety of workers exposed to chemical agents sets out provisions for environmental and biological monitoring, making specific reference to binding limit values and health surveillance measures for those with exposure to lead To compare how the Directive has been implemented at a national level in EU countries and to determine whether workers receive equivalent protection. Information on selected key issues was collected from 14 EU countries by means of a structured questionnaire. National occupational exposure limit values generally reflect that set by the Directive (0.15 mg/m(3)), but in five cases lower limits are set. National binding biological limit values range from 20 microg/100 ml blood in one country up to 80 microg/100 ml blood in others. The risk to the unborn child is generally recognised with specific measures for women of child-bearing potential or those that are pregnant or breast feeding. In only three countries are special arrangements included for young workers. Limits at which medical surveillance is put into effect are more consistent at 40 microg/100 ml in most countries. The Directive also refers to guidelines for health surveillance but none have been issued with respect to lead. Thus monitoring strategies and requirements for analytical performance vary considerably. The results of this survey suggest that protection of workers against the risk of exposure to lead at work is far from uniform across the European Union. Such disparity may also have implications on the requirements set at national level for laboratories measuring lead in blood and/or air. In the interest of harmonisation within the EU, further consideration should be given to the Annex II of the EC Directive 98/24, taking into account the suggestions for lower binding limit values for lead; this should include full guidelines for medical surveillance and requirements for laboratories should be issued.

How Does Medical Device Regulation Perform in the United States and the European Union? A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Kramer, Daniel B.; Xu, Shuai; Kesselheim, Aaron S.

2012-01-01

Background Policymakers and regulators in the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) are weighing reforms to their medical device approval and post-market surveillance systems. Data may be available that identify strengths and weakness of the approaches to medical device regulation in these settings. Methods and Findings We performed a systematic review to find empirical studies evaluating medical device regulation in the US or EU. We searched Medline using two nested categories that included medical devices and glossary terms attributable to the US Food and Drug Administration and the EU, following PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. We supplemented this search with a review of the US Government Accountability Office online database for reports on US Food and Drug Administration device regulation, consultations with local experts in the field, manual reference mining of selected articles, and Google searches using the same key terms used in the Medline search. We found studies of premarket evaluation and timing (n = 9), studies of device recalls (n = 8), and surveys of device manufacturers (n = 3). These studies provide evidence of quality problems in pre-market submissions in the US, provide conflicting views of device safety based largely on recall data, and relay perceptions of some industry leaders from self-surveys. Conclusions Few studies have quantitatively assessed medical device regulation in either the US or EU. Existing studies of US and EU device approval and post-market evaluation performance suggest that policy reforms are necessary for both systems, including improving classification of devices in the US and promoting transparency and post-market oversight in the EU. Assessment of regulatory performance in both settings is limited by lack of data on post-approval safety outcomes. Changes to these device approval and post-marketing systems must be accompanied by ongoing research to ensure that there is better assessment of what works in either setting. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary. PMID:22912563

Observations related to the Salmonella EU layer baseline survey in the United Kingdom: follow-up of positive flocks and sensitivity issues.

PubMed

Carrique-Mas, J J; Breslin, M; Snow, L; Arnold, M E; Wales, A; McLaren, I; Davies, R H

2008-11-01

A follow-on study was carried out on 23 holdings identified as Salmonella positive in the 2004/2005 European Union (EU) baseline survey of Salmonella in laying hens. Eleven of 13 cage and 4/7 floor houses remained positive for Salmonella when the new flock was tested, and from 10/13 cage and 3/7 floor houses a Salmonella of the same serovar/phage type as found in the EU survey was isolated. There was a high correlation between the level of contamination in the houses at the time of the EU survey and in the follow-on flock. On seven occasions the house identified as positive in the EU survey was sampled after cleaning and disinfection but before a new flock was placed, and in all of them Salmonella could be isolated from the houses. The observed number of infected houses in infected holdings suggests that the holding-level prevalence in the United Kingdom would be about 21% higher than the results obtained in the EU survey.

Observations related to the Salmonella EU layer baseline survey in the United Kingdom: follow-up of positive flocks and sensitivity issues

PubMed Central

CARRIQUE-MAS, J. J.; BRESLIN, M.; SNOW, L.; ARNOLD, M. E.; WALES, A.; McLAREN, I.; DAVIES, R. H.

2008-01-01

SUMMARY A follow-on study was carried out on 23 holdings identified as Salmonella positive in the 2004/2005 European Union (EU) baseline survey of Salmonella in laying hens. Eleven of 13 cage and 4/7 floor houses remained positive for Salmonella when the new flock was tested, and from 10/13 cage and 3/7 floor houses a Salmonella of the same serovar/phage type as found in the EU survey was isolated. There was a high correlation between the level of contamination in the houses at the time of the EU survey and in the follow-on flock. On seven occasions the house identified as positive in the EU survey was sampled after cleaning and disinfection but before a new flock was placed, and in all of them Salmonella could be isolated from the houses. The observed number of infected houses in infected holdings suggests that the holding-level prevalence in the United Kingdom would be about 21% higher than the results obtained in the EU survey. PMID:18177519

Internet Effects in Times of Political Crisis

PubMed Central

Baccini, Leonardo; Sudulich, Laura; Wall, Matthew

2016-01-01

This paper evaluates the influence of online news consumption on attitudes toward the European Union in a context of protracted economic crisis. Using data from the 2011 Irish National Election Study, we combine location-specific information on broadband availability with respondent geo-location data, which facilitates causal inference about the effects of online news consumption via instrumental variable models. Results show that Irish citizens who source political information online are more prone to blame the EU for the poor state of the economy than those who do not. There is evidence of preference reinforcement among those with negative predispositions toward the EU, but not among pro-EU citizens. We complement this analysis with a study of voting behavior in the European Fiscal Compact Referendum, employing a similar methodological approach. The results from this second survey confirm the anti-EU influence of online news consumption among Irish citizens, although evidence suggests a pro-EU effect among voters who browsed the website of the politically neutral Irish Referendum Commission. Our paper contributes to the literature on public opinion, the EU, and political attitudes in times of crisis. PMID:27274571

Status, quality and specific needs of Zika virus (ZIKV) diagnostic capacity and capability in National Reference Laboratories for arboviruses in 30 EU/EEA countries, May 2016

PubMed Central

Mögling, Ramona; Zeller, Hervé; Revez, Joana; Koopmans, Marion; Reusken, Chantal

2017-01-01

With international travel, Zika virus (ZIKV) is introduced to Europe regularly. A country's ability to robustly detect ZIKV introduction and local transmission is important to minimise the risk for a ZIKV outbreak. Therefore, sufficient expertise and diagnostic capacity and capability are required in European laboratories. To assess the capacity, quality, operational specifics (guidelines and algorithms), technical and interpretation issues and other possible difficulties that were related to ZIKV diagnostics in European countries, a questionnaire was conducted among national reference laboratories in 30 countries in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) in May 2016. While the coverage and capacity of ZIKV diagnostics in the EU/EEA national reference laboratories were found to be adequate, the assessment of the quality and needs indicated several crucial points of improvement that will need support at national and EU/EEA level to improve ZIKV preparedness, response and EU/EEA ZIKV surveillance activities. PMID:28920574

Determinants and prevalence of e-cigarette use throughout the European Union: a secondary analysis of 26 566 youth and adults from 27 Countries.

PubMed

Vardavas, Constantine I; Filippidis, Filippos T; Agaku, Israel T

2015-09-01

This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of e-cigarette use among persons aged ≥15 years in 27 European Union (EU) member countries during 2012. The 2012 Eurobarometer 385 (77.1) survey was analysed for n=26 566 respondents. Knowledge, perception of harm, and determinants of e-cigarettes use were assessed, while separate regression analyses among current (n=7352) and former cigarette smokers (n=5782) were performed. National estimates of the number of e-cigarette users were also extrapolated. 20.3% of current smokers, 4.7% of ex-smokers, and 1.2% of never cigarette smokers in the EU reported having ever used an e-cigarette (overall approximately 29.3 million adults). Among smokers, ever e-cigarette use was more likely among 15-24-year-olds (aOR 3.13, 95% CI 2.22 to 4.54) and 25-39-year-olds (aOR 2.00, 95% CI 1.47 to 2.78) in comparison to older smokers, and among those who smoked 6-10 cigarettes/day (aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.13) or 11-20 cigarettes/day (aOR 2.07, 95% CI 1.52 to 2.81) in comparison to very light smokers (≤5 cigarettes/day). Moreover, e-cigarette use was more likely among smokers who had made a past year quit attempt (aOR 2.08, 95% CI 1.67 to 2.58). E-cigarette use among ex-smokers was associated only with the respondents' age, with younger ex-smokers being more likely to have ever used an e-cigarette. A substantial number of EU adults have ever used e-cigarettes. Ever users were more likely to be younger, current smokers, or past-year quit attempters. These findings underscore the need to evaluate the potential long term impact of e-cigarette use on consumer health, cessation and nicotine addiction and formulate a European framework for e-cigarette regulation within the revised EU Tobacco Product Directive. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Composition, labelling, and safety of food supplements based on bee products in the legislative framework of the European Union - Croatian experiences.

PubMed

Vujić, Mario; Pollak, Lea

2015-12-01

The European Union market is overflown by food supplements and an increasing number of consumers prefer those where bee products play an important part in their composition. This paper deals with complex European Union legislation concerning food supplements based on bee products, placing a special emphasis on their composition, labelling, and safety. Correct labelling of food supplements also represents a great challenge since, in spite of legal regulations in force, there are still open issues regarding the statements on the amount of propolis, which is not clearly defined by the legal framework. One of the key issues are the labels containing health claims from the EU positive list approved by the European Food Safety Authority. Emphasis will also be placed on informing consumers about food, as statements which imply the healing properties of food supplements and their capacity to cure diseases are forbidden. One of the key elements of product safety is HACCP based on the EU Regulations EC 178/02 and 852/2004. Health safety analyses of food supplements with bee products used as raw materials, which are standardised by legal regulations will also be discussed. In the future, attention should also be paid to establishing the European Union "nutrivigilance" system. Croatian experiences in addressing challenges faced by producers, supervisory entities, and regulatory and inspection bodies may serve as an example to countries aspiring to become part of the large European family.

Analysis of healthcare financing, supply and utilisation trends in the new EU countries.

PubMed

Ruseski, Jane E

2006-01-01

The EU expanded in 2004 to include eight transition countries, i.e. Central and Eastern European (CEE) and newly independent states of the former Soviet Union, and two other CEE countries are scheduled to join the EU in 2007. Each of these countries has undertaken substantial healthcare reform efforts over the past 15 years. The paths of healthcare reform are diverse for a number of reasons including differences in initial economic, political and structural conditions. The objective of this article is to evaluate the process and preliminary outcomes of healthcare reform in the new EU and candidate countries by analysing trends in aggregate financing, supply and utilisation indicators using data drawn from the WHO Health for All database. The analysis is done in the context of an analytical framework built around common healthcare reform themes. The key reform measures examined include implementing social insurance systems, implementing payment systems that promote efficiency, and removal of excess capacity. The trend analysis highlights the importance of the economic, political and social context in driving the direction and pace of healthcare reform. For example, the transition to social insurance systems was smoother in countries with stronger economies and political commitment to reform. Policies aimed at improving the efficiency of the healthcare system, reducing utilisation and reducing excess capacity were met with some success in all of the countries. However, the reform effort continues as the countries are still addressing the initial challenges of insufficient funding, informal payments, excess capacity and inefficiencies in the provision of healthcare.

A new validated analytical method for the determination of tributyltin in water samples at the quantification level set by the European Union.

PubMed

Devos, Christophe; David, Frank; Sandra, Pat

2012-10-26

According to recent directives of the European Union (EU), limits of quantification (LOQ) for the determination of tributyltin (TBT) in surface waters should be ca. 60 pg/L (ppq). This put very stringent requirements on analytical methodologies; definitely when they have to be applied in a routine environment. Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), followed by thermal desorption (TD) and capillary gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) can provide accurate and precise data at the 2 ng/L level (ppt). For lower concentrations, matrix and reagent interferences together with contamination may provide too high TBT values. A two-dimensional heart-cut GC method was developed to fractionate TBT from interferences. The GC-GC-MS/MS method shows excellent linearity in the range 50 pg/L-4 ng/L, good repeatability (RSD<20% at 200 pg/L), and a limit of detection of 11 pg/L. The method performance is demonstrated with representative samples i.e. harbor water and waste water samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transposition and implementation of EU rare disease policy in Eastern Europe.

PubMed

Pejcic, Ana V; Iskrov, Georgi; Raycheva, Ralitsa; Stefanov, Rumen; Jakovljevic, Mihajlo Michael

2017-12-01

А series of European Union (EU) political decisions have made rare diseases one of the cornerstones of the common European health policy. Adopted in 2009, Council Recommendation on an action in the field of rare diseases aimed to serve as a policy-making guideline. However, the implementation report, which followed it, neither performed detailed cross-country comparison, nor assessed the impact of the policies. Areas covered: A 10-indicator set was elaborated to structure the review and to describe rare disease activities in 14 Eastern European countries. Expert commentary: Taking into account all indicators, EU member states outperform candidate and potential candidate countries in terms of rare disease policy planning and implementation. Hungary is the top performer, followed by Bulgaria and Czech Republic. Non-EU countries form the bottom tier, with Serbia being the best ranked among them. While EU adhesion is a major facilitator for planning and adopting rare disease policies, local stakeholders are the triggering factor for their successful implementation. European reference networks are likely to be the future of rare disease activities in the EU. They need to synchronize and closely collaborate with all important EU projects in the field of rare diseases if they are to achieve their objectives.

Food and feed chemical contaminants in the European Union: Regulatory, scientific, and technical issues concerning chemical contaminants occurrence, risk assessment, and risk management in the European Union.

PubMed

Silano, Marco; Silano, Vittorio

2017-07-03

A priority of the European Union is the control of risks possibly associated with chemical contaminants in food and undesirable substances in feed. Following an initial chapter describing the main contaminants detected in food and undesirable substances in feed in the EU, their main sources and the factors which affect their occurrence, the present review focuses on the "continous call for data" procedure that is a very effective system in place at EFSA to make possible the exposure assessment of specific contaminants and undesirable substances. Risk assessment of contaminants in food atances in feed is carried currently in the European Union by the CONTAM Panel of EFSA according to well defined methodologies and in collaboration with competent international organizations and with Member States.

Technology, market and policy aspects of geothermal energy in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shortall, Ruth; Uihlein, Andreas

2017-04-01

The Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) is the technology pillar of the EU's energy and climate policy. The goal of the SET-Plan is to achieve EU worldwide leadership in the production of energy technological solutions capable of delivering EU 2020 and 2050 targets for a low carbon economy. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) runs and manages the SET-Plan Information System (SETIS) to support the SET-Plan. Under SETIS, the JRC publishes a number of regularly updated key references on the state of low carbon technology, research and innovation in Europe. Within the framework of the SET-Plan, the geothermal sector is placed into context with other power and heat generation technologies. The talk will give an introduction to some of JRC's geothermal research activities. Amongst others, the JRC Geothermal status report will be presented. This report aims to contribute to the general knowledge about the geothermal sector, its technology, economics and policies, with a focus on innovation, research, development and deployment activities as well as policy support schemes within the European Union. The speech will present the main findings of the report, providing an overview of the activities and progress made by the geothermal energy sector, the status of its sub-technologies and current developments. In addition, the speech will discuss the economic, market and policy aspects of geothermal energy for power production, direct use and ground source heat pumps in Europe and beyond.

A System of Systems (SoS) Approach to transforming to a low carbon resource-efficient energy system: Insights for the European Union (EU)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madani, K.; Jess, T.; Mahlooji, M.; Ristic, B.

2015-12-01

The world's energy sector is experiencing a serious transition from reliance on fossil fuel energy sources to extensive reliance on renewable energies. Europe is leading the way in this transition to a low carbon economy in an attempt to keep climate change below 2oC. Member States have committed themselves to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and increasing the share of renewables in the EU's energy mix to 20% by 2020. The EU has now gone a step further with the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95% by 2050. Nevertheless, the short-term focus of the European Commission is at "cost-efficient ways" to cut its greenhouse gas emissions which forgoes the unintended impacts of a large expansion of low-carbon energy technologies on major natural resources such as water and land. This study uses the "System of Systems (SoS) Approach to Energy Sustainability Assessment" (Hadian and Madani, 2015) to evaluate the Relative Aggregate Footprint (RAF) of energy sources in different European Union (EU) member states. RAF reflects the overall resource-use efficiency of energy sources with respect to four criteria: carbon footprint, water footprint, land footprint, and economic cost. Weights are assigned to the four resource use efficiency criteria based on each member state's varying natural and economic resources to examine the changes in the desirability of energy sources based on regional resource availability conditions, and to help evaluating the overall resource use efficiency of the EU's energy portfolio. A longer-term strategy in Europe has been devised under the "Resource Efficient Europe" flagship imitative intended to put the EU on course to using resources in a sustainable way. This study will highlight the resource efficiency of the EU's energy sector in order to assist in a sustainable transition to a low carbon economy in Europe. ReferenceHadian S, Madani K (2015) A System of Systems Approach to Energy Sustainability Assessment: Are All Renewables Really Green? Ecological Indicators, 52, 194-206.

Risk of African swine fever introduction into the European Union through transport-associated routes: returning trucks and waste from international ships and planes.

PubMed

Mur, Lina; Martínez-López, Beatriz; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel

2012-08-30

The uncontrolled presence of African swine fever (ASF) in Russian Federation (RF) poses a serious risk to the whole European Union (EU) pig industry. Although trade of pigs and their products is banned since the official notification in June 2007, the potential introduction of ASF virus (ASFV) may occur by other routes, which are very frequent in ASF, and more difficult to control, such as contaminated waste or infected vehicles. This study was intended to estimate the risk of ASFV introduction into the EU through three types of transport routes: returning trucks, waste from international ships and waste from international planes, which will be referred here as transport-associated routes (TAR). Since no detailed and official information was available for these routes, a semi-quantitative model based on the weighted combination of risk factors was developed to estimate the risk of ASFV introduction by TAR. Relative weights for combination of different risk factors as well as validation of the model results were obtained by an expert opinion elicitation. Model results indicate that the relative risk for ASFV introduction through TAR in most of the EU countries (16) is low, although some countries, specifically Poland and Lithuania, concentrate high levels of risk, the returning trucks route being the analyzed TAR that currently poses the highest risk for ASFV introduction into the EU. The spatial distribution of the risk of ASFV introduction varies importantly between the analyzed introduction routes. Results also highlight the need to increase the awareness and precautions for ASF prevention, particularly ensuring truck disinfection, to minimize the potential risk of entrance into the EU. This study presents the first assessment of ASF introduction into the EU through TAR. The innovative model developed here could be used in data scarce situations for estimating the relative risk associated to each EU country. This simple methodology provides a rapid and easy to interpret results on risk that may be used for a target and cost-effective allocation of resources to prevent disease introduction.

Risk of African swine fever introduction into the European Union through transport-associated routes: returning trucks and waste from international ships and planes

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The uncontrolled presence of African swine fever (ASF) in Russian Federation (RF) poses a serious risk to the whole European Union (EU) pig industry. Although trade of pigs and their products is banned since the official notification in June 2007, the potential introduction of ASF virus (ASFV) may occur by other routes, which are very frequent in ASF, and more difficult to control, such as contaminated waste or infected vehicles. This study was intended to estimate the risk of ASFV introduction into the EU through three types of transport routes: returning trucks, waste from international ships and waste from international planes, which will be referred here as transport-associated routes (TAR). Since no detailed and official information was available for these routes, a semi-quantitative model based on the weighted combination of risk factors was developed to estimate the risk of ASFV introduction by TAR. Relative weights for combination of different risk factors as well as validation of the model results were obtained by an expert opinion elicitation. Results Model results indicate that the relative risk for ASFV introduction through TAR in most of the EU countries (16) is low, although some countries, specifically Poland and Lithuania, concentrate high levels of risk, the returning trucks route being the analyzed TAR that currently poses the highest risk for ASFV introduction into the EU. The spatial distribution of the risk of ASFV introduction varies importantly between the analyzed introduction routes. Results also highlight the need to increase the awareness and precautions for ASF prevention, particularly ensuring truck disinfection, to minimize the potential risk of entrance into the EU. Conclusions This study presents the first assessment of ASF introduction into the EU through TAR. The innovative model developed here could be used in data scarce situations for estimating the relative risk associated to each EU country. This simple methodology provides a rapid and easy to interpret results on risk that may be used for a target and cost-effective allocation of resources to prevent disease introduction. PMID:22935221

[A procedure for estimating the rate of occupational accidents in non-European-Union workers with irregular immigrant status].

PubMed

Marchiori, L; Marangi, G; Mazzoccoli, P; Scoizzato, L; Buja, Alessandra; Mastrangelo, G

2008-01-01

Statistics on occupational accidents provided by the Italian Institute for Occupational Diseases and Accidents (INAIL, Italian acronym) include only events that occurred in workers with regular employment status. The aim of the study was to establish a procedure in order to estimate the rate of occupational accidents in non-European-Union (non-EU) workers with irregular employment status and/or irregular immigrant status. The sources of data were the clinical records of the Emergency Department of San Bonifacio Hospital, and the population data of District 4 of Local Health Authority 20 of Verona, which was considered the catchment area of this hospital. Among 419 cases of accidents occurred in the numerator of the rate. The denominator of the rate was estimated by calculating: (1) the subjects of working age resident in District 4 (= 83714); (2) the total number of non-EU workers, assuming that the percentage was similar to that in San Bonifacio Municipality (= 0.115); the number of irregular non-EU workers, assuming that the percentage was similar to that in north-eastern Italy (= 0.103). Non-EU workers with irregular employment status and/or irregular immigrant status should, according to these calculations, be 992 (= 83714 x 0.115 x 0.103). The rate--147.2 (= 146/992) occupational accidents per 1000 irregular non-EU workers--is more than twice as high as that calculated in 2004 in Italy in regular non-EU workers (approximately 65 accidents per 1000). The difference can be explained by the fact that irregular workers find employment mainly in agriculture, building and the metallurgic industry, which have a high frequency of accidents, and are more willing to accept risky work and longer work shifts. On the assumption that the rate of occupational accidents in the 500,000 irregular workers living in Italy in 2004 was 147.2 per 1000 (as in the catchment area of the San Bonifacio Hospital), the number of accidents would be 73,600, against the 116,000 that occurred among regular non-EU workers in 2004 according to INAIL. Official INAIL statistics on occupational accidents therefore show a considerable underestimation.

Safety assessment of genetically modified plants with deliberately altered composition

PubMed Central

Halford, Nigel G; Hudson, Elizabeth; Gimson, Amy; Weightman, Richard; Shewry, Peter R; Tompkins, Steven

2014-01-01

The development and marketing of ‘novel’ genetically modified (GM) crops in which composition has been deliberately altered poses a challenge to the European Union (EU)'s risk assessment processes, which are based on the concept of substantial equivalence with a non-GM comparator. This article gives some examples of these novel GM crops and summarizes the conclusions of a report that was commissioned by the European Food Safety Authority on how the EU's risk assessment processes could be adapted to enable their safety to be assessed. PMID:24735114

Distribution of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in agricultural topsoils of the European Union.

PubMed

Silva, Vera; Montanarella, Luca; Jones, Arwyn; Fernández-Ugalde, Oihane; Mol, Hans G J; Ritsema, Coen J; Geissen, Violette

2018-04-15

Approval for glyphosate-based herbicides in the European Union (EU) is under intense debate due to concern about their effects on the environment and human health. The occurrence of glyphosate residues in European water bodies is rather well documented whereas only few, fragmented and outdated information is available for European soils. We provide the first large-scale assessment of distribution (occurrence and concentrations) of glyphosate and its main metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in EU agricultural topsoils, and estimate their potential spreading by wind and water erosion. Glyphosate and/or AMPA were present in 45% of the topsoils collected, originating from eleven countries and six crop systems, with a maximum concentration of 2mgkg -1 . Several glyphosate and AMPA hotspots were identified across the EU. Soil loss rates (obtained from recently derived European maps) were used to estimate the potential export of glyphosate and AMPA by wind and water erosion. The estimated exports, result of a conceptually simple model, clearly indicate that particulate transport can contribute to human and environmental exposure to herbicide residues. Residue threshold values in soils are urgently needed to define potential risks for soil health and off site effects related to export by wind and water erosion. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continent of pessimism or continent of realism? A multilevel study into the impact of macro-economic outcomes and political institutions on societal pessimism, European Union 2006-2012.

PubMed

Steenvoorden, Eefje H; van der Meer, Tom Wg

2017-06-01

The often-posed claim that Europe is a pessimistic continent is not unjustified. In 2012, 53 percent of European Union (EU) citizens were pessimistic about their country. Surprisingly, however, societal pessimism has received very little scientific attention. In this article, we examine to what extent political and economic factors drive societal pessimism. In terms of political factors, we expect that supranationalization, political instability, and corruption increase societal pessimism, as they diminish national political power and can inspire collective powerlessness. Economically, we expect that the retrenchment of welfare state provisions and economic decline drive societal pessimism, as these developments contribute to socioeconomic vulnerability. We assess the impact of these political and economic factors on the level of societal pessimism in the EU, both cross-nationally and over time, through multilevel analyses of Eurobarometer data (13 waves between 2006 and 2012 in 23 EU countries). Our findings show that the political factors (changes in government, corruption) primarily explain cross-national differences in societal pessimism, while the macro-economic context (economic growth, unemployment) primarily explains longitudinal trends within countries. These findings demonstrate that, to a large extent, societal pessimism cannot be viewed separately from its political and economic context.

Tendency for age-specific mortality with hypertension in the European Union from 1980 to 2011.

PubMed

Tao, Lichan; Pu, Cunying; Shen, Shutong; Fang, Hongyi; Wang, Xiuzhi; Xuan, Qinkao; Xiao, Junjie; Li, Xinli

2015-01-01

Tendency for mortality in hypertension has not been well-characterized in European Union (EU). Mortality data from 1980 to 2011 in EU were used to calculate age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR, per 100,000), annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC). The Joinpoint Regression Program was used to compare the changes in tendency. Mortality rates in the most recent year studied vary between different countries, with the highest rates observed in Slovakia men and Estonia women. A downward trend in ASMR was demonstrated over all age groups. Robust decreases in ASMR were observed for both men (1991-1994, APC = -13.54) and women (1996-1999, APC = -14.80) aged 55-65 years. The tendency of systolic blood pressure (SBP) from 1980 to 2009 was consistent with ASMR, and the largest decrease was observed among Belgium men and France women. In conclusion, SBP associated ASMR decreased significantly on an annual basis from 1980 to 2009 while a slight increase was observed after 2009. Discrepancies in ASMR from one country to another in EU are significant during last three decades. With a better understanding of the tendency of the prevalence of hypertension and its mortality, efforts will be made to improve awareness and help strict control of hypertension.

Tendency for age-specific mortality with hypertension in the European Union from 1980 to 2011

PubMed Central

Tao, Lichan; Pu, Cunying; Shen, Shutong; Fang, Hongyi; Wang, Xiuzhi; Xuan, Qinkao; Xiao, Junjie; Li, Xinli

2015-01-01

Tendency for mortality in hypertension has not been well-characterized in European Union (EU). Mortality data from 1980 to 2011 in EU were used to calculate age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR, per 100,000), annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC). The Joinpoint Regression Program was used to compare the changes in tendency. Mortality rates in the most recent year studied vary between different countries, with the highest rates observed in Slovakia men and Estonia women. A downward trend in ASMR was demonstrated over all age groups. Robust decreases in ASMR were observed for both men (1991-1994, APC = -13.54) and women (1996-1999, APC = -14.80) aged 55-65 years. The tendency of systolic blood pressure (SBP) from 1980 to 2009 was consistent with ASMR, and the largest decrease was observed among Belgium men and France women. In conclusion, SBP associated ASMR decreased significantly on an annual basis from 1980 to 2009 while a slight increase was observed after 2009. Discrepancies in ASMR from one country to another in EU are significant during last three decades. With a better understanding of the tendency of the prevalence of hypertension and its mortality, efforts will be made to improve awareness and help strict control of hypertension. PMID:25932090

Continent of pessimism or continent of realism? A multilevel study into the impact of macro-economic outcomes and political institutions on societal pessimism, European Union 2006–2012

PubMed Central

Steenvoorden, Eefje H; van der Meer, Tom WG

2017-01-01

The often-posed claim that Europe is a pessimistic continent is not unjustified. In 2012, 53 percent of European Union (EU) citizens were pessimistic about their country. Surprisingly, however, societal pessimism has received very little scientific attention. In this article, we examine to what extent political and economic factors drive societal pessimism. In terms of political factors, we expect that supranationalization, political instability, and corruption increase societal pessimism, as they diminish national political power and can inspire collective powerlessness. Economically, we expect that the retrenchment of welfare state provisions and economic decline drive societal pessimism, as these developments contribute to socioeconomic vulnerability. We assess the impact of these political and economic factors on the level of societal pessimism in the EU, both cross-nationally and over time, through multilevel analyses of Eurobarometer data (13 waves between 2006 and 2012 in 23 EU countries). Our findings show that the political factors (changes in government, corruption) primarily explain cross-national differences in societal pessimism, while the macro-economic context (economic growth, unemployment) primarily explains longitudinal trends within countries. These findings demonstrate that, to a large extent, societal pessimism cannot be viewed separately from its political and economic context. PMID:28690338

European Training and Research in Peritoneal Dialysis--A Network to Deliver Scientific Peritoneal Dialysis Training to a New Generation of Researchers.

PubMed

Machowska, Anna; van Wier, Tanja; Aufricht, Christoph; Beelen, Rob; Rutherford, Peter

2015-01-01

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) utilization varies across countries, and of the factors that explain the variation, the scientific and clinical knowledge of health care professionals is potentially important. In this paper, we describe a European collaboration--between 8 academic PD research programs, a small-to-medium-sized enterprise, and a large PD product manufacturer--that received significant research funding from the EU commission to establish a training network. European Training and Research in Peritoneal Dialysis (EuTRiPD) is providing training to 12 PhD students who have moved within the European Union and are completing research training. The underlying structure and processes within EuTRiPD (http://www.eutripd. eu) are described, and the benefits of the collaborative approach are discussed. This model could be useful to other research groups and will assist in maintaining and growing scientific expertise in PD research.

The implementation of traceability systems.

PubMed

Ammendrup, S; Barcos, L O

2006-08-01

Traceability is a tool to help countries meet their objectives of controlling, preventing and eradicating animal diseases. This article sets out the required steps in a traceability system. Before designing a system of traceability, one must identify the different characteristics that need to be traced throughout the various steps in the food production chain. The interaction between different sectors in defining the objectives and the resulting needs of a traceability system is fundamental. A clear legal framework is also indispensable. European Union (EU) legislation requires identification and registration for cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. For intra-EU trade these animals must be accompanied by a health certificate providing information on their identity and health status. The required identification is harmonised on an EU-wide basis with the aim of ensuring traceability for veterinary purposes. Furthermore EU legislation requires that the traceability of food, feed and food-producing animals be established at all stages of production.

The Development of the Market of the Production of Solar Energy in Poland and Selected EU Countries in the Years 2009-2014 - Comparative Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorozińska, Weronika; Gawron, Maciej; Stańko, Paulina; Stępień, Natalia; Świstak, Patrycja; Ji, Han Yeon

2016-03-01

The paper discusses issues related to the development of solar energy production in Poland and selected EU countries in the years 2009-2014. The analysis of data concerning the production of solar energy in Poland and selected EU countries is presented as well as the strategic goals of the Union in respect the development of the `solar energy industry'. The article discusses the benefits and costs of the transformation of energy engineering and development of the production of solar energy, which is one of the most widespread and popular technologies of the production of energy from renewable resources in view of environment protection or reduction of the costs of energy consumption.

EU Water Governance: Striking the Right Balance between Regulatory Flexibility and Enforcement?

EPA Science Inventory

Considering the challenges and threats currently facing water management and the exacerbation of uncertainty by climate change, the need for flexible yet robust and legitimate environmental regulation is evident. The European Union took a novel approach toward sustainable water r...

Mitigation of CO2 emissions from the EU-15 building stock: beyond the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings.

PubMed

Petersdorff, Carsten; Boermans, Thomas; Harnisch, Jochen

2006-09-01

GOAL SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: The European Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings which came into force 16 December 2002 will be implemented in the legislation of Member States by 4 January 2006. In addition to the aim of improving the overall energy efficiency of new buildings, large existing buildings will become a target for improvement, as soon as they undergo significant renovation. The building sector is responsible for about 40% of Europe's total end energy consumption and hence this Directive is an important step for the European Union in order that it should reach the level of saving required by the Kyoto Agreement. In this the EU is committed to reduce CO2 emissions relative to the base year of 1990 by 8 per cent, by 2010. But what will be the impact of the new Directive, how large could be the impacts of extending the obligation for energy efficiency retrofitting towards smaller buildings? Can improvement of the insulation offset or reduce the growing energy consumption from the increasing installation of cooling installations? EURIMA, the European Insulation Manufacturers Association and EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings, asked Ecofys to address these questions. The effect of the EPB Directive on the emissions associated with the heating energy consumption of the total EU 15 building stock has been examined in a model calculation, using the Built Environment Analysis Model (BEAM), which was developed by Ecofys to investigate energy saving measures in the building stock. The great complexity of the EU-15 building stock had to be simplified by examining five standard buildings with eight insulation standards, which are assigned to building age and renovation status. Furthermore, three climatic regions (cold, moderate, warm) were distinguished for the calculation of the heating energy demand. This gave a basic 210 building types for which the heating energy demand and CO2 emissions from heating were calculated according to the principles of the European Norm EN 832. The model calculations demonstrates that the main contributor to the total heating related CO2 emissions of 725 Mt/a from the EU building stock in 2002 is the residential sector (77%) while the remaining 23% originates from non-residential buildings. In the residential sector, single-family houses represent the largest group responsible for 60% of the total CO2 emissions equivalent to 435 Mt/a. THE TECHNICAL POTENTIAL: If all retrofit measures in the scope of the Directive were realised immediately for the complete residential and non-residential building stock the overall CO2 emission savings would add up to 82 Mt/a. An additional saving potential compared to the Directive of 69 Mt/a would be created if the scope of the Directive was extended to cover retrofit measures in multi-family dwellings (200-1000 m2) and non-residential buildings smaller than 1000 m2 used floor space. In addition including the large group of single-family dwellings would lead to a potential for additional CO2 emission reductions compared to the Directive of 316 Mt/a. TEMPORAL MOBILIZATION OF THE POTENTIAL: Calculations based on the building stock as it develops over time with average retrofit rates demonstrated that regulations introduced following the EPB Directive result in a CO2 emissions decrease of 34 Mt/a by the year 2010 compared to the business as usual scenario. Extending the scope of the EPB Directive to all residential buildings (including single and multi-family dwellings), the CO2 emission savings potential over the 'business as usual' scenario could be doubled to 69 Mt/a in the year 2010. This creates an additional saving potential compared to the Directive of 36 Mt/a. COOLING DEMAND: The analysis demonstrated that in warm climatic zones the cooling demand can be reduced drastically by a combination of lowering the internal heat loads and by improved insulation. With the reduction of the heat loads to a moderate level the cooling demand, e.g. of a terraced house located in Madrid, can be reduced by an additional 85% if the insulation level is improved appropriately. This study demonstrates that the European Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings will have a significant impact on the CO2 emissions of the European building stock. The main saving potential lies in insulation of the existing building stock. Beyond this, CO2 emissions could, however, be greatly reduced if the scope of the Directive were to be extended to include retrofit of smaller buildings. The reductions should be seen in relation to the remaining gap of 190 Mt CO2 eq. per annum between the current emission levels of EU-15 and the target under the Kyoto-Protocol for the year 2010. The energy and industrial sector will probably contribute only a fraction of this reduction via the newly established EU emissions trading scheme and connected projects under the flexible mechanism. In addition, the traffic sector is likely to continue its growth path leading to a widening of the gap. Thus, there is likely to be considerable pressure on the EU building sector to contribute to the EU climate targets beyond what will be achieved by means of the current EPB Directive. Legislators on the EU and national level are therefore advised to take accelerated actions to tap the very significant emission reduction potentials available in the EU building stock.

Airport environmental noise mapping and land use management as an environmental protection action policy tool. The case of the Larnaka International Airport (Cyprus).

PubMed

Vogiatzis, Konstantinos

2012-05-01

The evidence from epidemiological studies on the association between exposure to traffic and aircraft noise and hypertension and ischemic heart disease has increased during the recent years. Both road traffic and aircraft noise increase the risk of high blood pressure. Environmental noise mapping, as per the 2002/49/EC Directive, is an obligation of all European Union (EU) member states. In the framework of the present article a complete Strategic Noise Mapping research and Action Noise Plans assessment and evaluation are presented and aim to access land use management as an effective tool for protection from aircraft noise. The case of the Larnaka International Airport in Cyprus, a typical Mediterranean airport, (considered as a "large airport" according to the above EU Directive and the recent Cyprus Legislation Law No. 224(Ι)/2004), is presented. In this paper a review of both assessment and action implementation procedures focusing on the dominant--in the area--aircraft traffic noise is presented, with emphasis to (a) a full calculation of Strategic Noise Map (SNM) scenarios of actual and future airport operation using the ECAC.CEAC Doc 29 methodology for both EU common indicators L(den) and L(night) in scales of 5 dB, (b) a full evaluation of results with emphasis to the Larnaka greater area land uses and the exposure of inhabitants in residences in various levels of environmental noise, and (c) a full evaluation of Noise Action Plans (NAP) introducing especially a new land use management scheme for the future Larnaka Town Land Use Plan. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Women Physicists in the European Union : how Brussels is moving toward gender equality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pancheri, Giulia

2008-04-01

The policies of the European Union towards gender equality in science occupation will be discussed along three aspects: 1. Current statistics recently published by the EU will be illustrated with some comparison with similar US statistics. The latest recommendations of the Helsinki group will be presented, together with the conclusions of the Women in Science meetings organized by the EU. 2. The implementation of these recommendations will be illustrated by this speaker's experience both as independent expert for Physics Research Programs for the European Commission for the last 10 years, as well as from the point of view of having been European Coordinator of three Research Networks in Theoretical Physics from 1992 until 2006: the impact of this on young women students will be described. 3. National policies enforced through the Equal Opportunity Committees will be illustrated, with the specific case of the Affirmative Actions of Italian INFN Equal Opportunity Committe and their impact on hiring and promotion of women physicists.

[Employment status and perceived health in Italy: data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) longitudinal study].

PubMed

Bacci, Silvia; Seracini, Marco; Chiavarini, Manuela; Bartolucci, Francesco; Minelli, Liliana

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between employment status (permanent employment, fixed-term employment, unemployment, other) and perceived health status in a sample of the Italian population. Data was obtained from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Condition (EU-SILC) study during the period 2009 - 2012. The sample consists of 4,848 individuals, each with a complete record of observations during four years for a total of 19,392 observations. The causal relationship between perceived/self-reported health status and employment status was tested using a global logit model (STATA). Our results confirm a significant association between employment status and perceived health, as well as between perceived health status and economic status. Unemployment that was dependent on an actual lack of work opportunities and not from individual disability was found to be the most significant determinant of perceived health status; a higher educational level produces a better perceived health status.

HBV and HCV infection among non-European Union immigrants in North-East Italy.

PubMed Central

Chiaramonte, M.; Pupo, A.; Menegon, T.; Baldo, V.; Malatesta, R.; Trivello, R.

1998-01-01

The status of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among non-European Union (non-EU) immigrants in North-East Italy was evaluated. Among the 1683 individuals tested the prevalence of HBsAg was 8.9% (150 subjects) and of HBV antibodies (anti-HBc with/without anti-HBs) was 38.9% (654 subjects). The distribution of HBV serological markers showed significant differences according to region of origin; the highest prevalence of infection (76.9%) and carriage (16.1%) was found in immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa. Among the 933 individuals screened for HCV infection, prevalence of antibody was much lower (0.9%) than that observed in the Italian general population (3.2-12.6%). The large number of HBV carriers among immigrants could increase the number of new adult infections due to life-style habits or professional risks in the host population. In contrast, the risk of HCV spread from non-EU immigrants is very low. PMID:9747770

Mapping communicable disease control in the European union.

PubMed

Elliott, Heather A; Jones, David K; Greer, Scott L

2012-12-01

Understanding both the current performance of communicable disease control in Europe and the scale of the differences among systems is crucial to understanding its present performance and possible Europeanization. We attempt to identify the structure of authority in communicable disease control in each European Union (EU) member state. The primary sources of information were the competent bodies list posted on the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control website and the Health in Transition reports produced by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. Three key patterns emerge to answer the question of who does what. First, the landscape is full and crowded, with many actors involved. Second, the landscape is highly fragmented, with many organizations performing overlapping functions in each country. Third, regional patterns describe which types of organizations are assigned which functions. These full, fragmented, and regionally disparate systems show no signs of constituting a shared model. As a result, if there is an EU model of communicable disease control today, it is at most an aspiration.

Inequality, poverty, and material deprivation in new and old members of the European Union.

PubMed

Matković, Teo; Sucur, Zoran; Zrinscak, Sinsa

2007-10-01

To analyze the main indicators of income inequality, objective and subjective poverty, material deprivation, and the role of public social transfers in the reduction of poverty in 15 old and 10 new member states of the European Union (EU), undergoing post-communist socio-economic transition, as well as in Croatia, a candidate EU country. Objective poverty rates, poverty reduction rates, poverty thresholds in purchasing power standards (PPS), total social expenditure, inequality indicators, and risks of poverty according to demographics were calculated using the data from the Eurostat databases, in particular, Household Budget Survey. For Croatia, Central Bureau of Statistics first releases on poverty indicators were used, as well as database of the Ministry of Finance (social expenditure). Subjective poverty rates and non-monetary deprivation index were calculated using the European Quality of Life Survey, which was carried out in 2003 in EU countries and in 2006 in Croatia. According to the indicators of income inequality and objective poverty, there was a divide among old EU member states (EU15), with UK, Ireland and South European countries having higher and Continental and Nordic countries lower indicators of inequality and poverty. Among new member states (NMS10), Baltic countries and Poland had the highest and Slovenia and the Czech Republic the lowest indicators of inequality and poverty. In all EU15 countries, except Greece, subjective poverty rates were lower than objective ones, whereas in all NMS10 countries the levels of subjective poverty were much higher than those of objective poverty. With some exceptions, NMS10 countries had low or even decreasing social expenditures. The share of respondents who were deprived of more than 50% of items was 6 times higher in the NMS10 than in the EU15 countries. When standard of living was measured by income inequality, relative poverty rates, poverty reduction rates, total social protection expenditures, and non-monetary deprivation, only Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, out of the NMS10, were in the upper half of the distribution, while Croatia had a medium position among NMS10 states. Our analysis demonstrated that poverty in countries undergoing post-socialist socioeconomic transition is widespread and could seriously limit human development. Continual research and monitoring of different aspects of poverty is needed for setting appropriate policies across the EU to effectively combat poverty and social exclusion and to promote convergence process.

Legal strategies to protect sexual and reproductive health and rights in the context of the refugee crisis in Europe: a complaint before the European Ombudsperson.

PubMed

Laporta Hernández, Elena

2017-11-01

In the context of the refugee crisis in Europe, the measures taken by the institutions and bodies of the European Union as they relate to respecting, protecting, and ensuring human rights have proven to be woefully inadequate. The development of a restrictive, defensive, security-based immigration policy has led to failure by European countries and the European Union to fulfil their human rights obligations. Specifically, the Agreement struck between the European Union and Turkey on 18 March 2016, in addition to externalising borders, placed economic and political considerations centre stage, leading to serious violations of the human rights of refugees and migrants, including their sexual and reproductive rights. In an effort to identify the failures and the institutions responsible for promoting the necessary measures to mitigate the negative impacts these policies have had, the international human rights organisation Women's Link Worldwide lodged a complaint with the European Ombudsperson. In its complaint, Women's Link alleges maladministration by the European Commission for its failure to carry out a human rights impact assessment of the 18 March 2016 EU-Turkey Agreement and the reports on its implementation. Such an assessment should include a gender perspective and a children's rights approach, and its omission is not only a failure to comply with international human rights standards, but also directly and negatively affects women's and children's rights.

Impact of hepatitis B vaccination on acute hepatitis B epidemiology in European Union/European Economic Area countries, 2006 to 2014

PubMed Central

Miglietta, Alessandro; Quinten, Chantal; Lopalco, Pier Luigi; Duffell, Erika

2018-01-01

Hepatitis B prevention in European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries relies on vaccination programmes. We describe the epidemiology of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) at country and EU/EEA level during 2006–2014. Using a multi-level mixed-effects Poisson regression model we assessed differences in the acute HBV infection notification rates between groups of countries that started universal HBV vaccination before/in vs after 1995; implemented or not a catch-up strategy; reached a vaccine coverage ≥ 95% vs < 95% and had a hepatitis B surface antigen prevalence ≥ 1% vs < 1%. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to assess trends by groups of countries, and additional Poisson regression models to evaluate the association between three-dose HBV vaccine coverage and acute HBV infection notification rates at country and EU/EEA level. The EU/EEA acute HBV infection notification rate decreased from 1.6 per 100,000 population in 2006 to 0.7 in 2014. No differences (p > 0.05) were found in the acute HBV infection notification rates between groups of countries, while as vaccine coverage increased, such rates decreased (p < 0.01). Countries with universal HBV vaccination before 1995, a catch-up strategy, and a vaccine coverage ≥ 95% had significant decreasing trends (p < 0.01). Ending HBV transmission in Europe by 2030 will require high vaccine coverage delivered through universal programmes, supported, where appropriate, by catch-up vaccination campaigns. PMID:29439751

Popular universities: An alternative vision for lifelong learning in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stromquist, Nelly P.; da Costa, Romina B.

2017-10-01

At its inception in 1993, the European Union (EU) did not consider education one of the pillars of its regional cohesiveness and identity. As time went by, recognition of the potential role of education at individual and social levels increased. This concern for education, however, is much more centred on the acquisition of knowledge and skills towards developing a competitive labour force than towards facilitating the integration of all citizens in the European community - a bias which is reflected in EU policies and recommendations. At local levels, communities need to offer educational opportunities to all members of society, irrespective of their social, cultural and linguistic background and their level of education. In many EU member countries, this kind of learning is offered by popular universities (PUs), which are not state-funded and run in close collaboration with their respective local communities. The authors of this paper carried out a qualitative survey, collecting data on PUs in Spain and France. Their purpose was to examine how European PU offerings align with community needs, and to what extent they address emerging issues such as immigration, the refugee crisis, an aging population and youth unemployment. In the evaluation of their comparative survey, the authors link the grassroots approaches of PUs in Spain and France to the broader European Union (EU) discourse on lifelong learning (LLL) as seen in policy documents such as the European Commission's Memorandum on Lifelong Learning. Finally, they examine the ways in which PUs' approach to LLL works to contest the dominant consensus on the meaning and scope of lifelong learning, offering an alternative way forward.

Good practices and challenges in addressing poliomyelitis and measles in the European Union.

PubMed

Kinsman, John; Stöven, Svenja; Elgh, Fredrik; Murillo, Pilar; Sulzner, Michael

2018-04-06

All European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) Member States have pledged to ensure political commitment towards sustaining the region's poliomyelitis-free status and eliminating measles. However, there remain significant gaps between policy and practice in many countries. This article reports on an assessment conducted for the European Commission that aimed to support improvements in preparedness and response to poliomyelitis and measles in Europe. A documentary review was complemented by qualitative interviews with professionals working in International and EU agencies, and in at-risk or recently affected EU/EEA Member States (six each for poliomyelitis and measles). Twenty-six interviews were conducted on poliomyelitis and 24 on measles; the data were subjected to thematic analysis. Preliminary findings were then discussed at a Consensus Workshop with 22 of the interviewees and eight other experts. Generic or disease-specific plans exist in the participating countries and cross-border communications during outbreaks were generally reported as satisfactory. However, surveillance systems are of uneven quality, and clinical expertise for the two diseases is limited by a lack of experience. Serious breaches of protocol have recently been reported from companies producing poliomyelitis vaccines, and vaccine coverage rates for both diseases were also sub-optimal. A set of suggested good practices to address these and other challenges is presented. Poliomyelitis and measles should be brought fully onto the policy agendas of all EU/EEA Member States, and adequate resources provided to address them. Each country must abide by the relevant commitments that they have already made.

Legislative regulation and ethical governance of medical research in different European Union countries.

PubMed

Veerus, Piret; Lexchin, Joel; Hemminki, Elina

2014-06-01

To obtain information about the similarities and differences in regulating different types of medical research in the European Union (EU). Web searches were performed from September 2009 to January 2011. Notes on pre-determined topics were systematically taken down from the web pages. The analysis relied only on documents and reports available on the web, reflecting the situation at the end of 2010. In several countries, regulatory legislation applied only to clinical trials on drugs and medical devices, in other states various types of research were also regulated but by laws different from those concerning trials, and in many countries, some research areas were not controlled by legislation at all. In very few countries was all medical research handled similarly from a legal point of view. The number of research ethics committees (RECs) in a single country varied from one to 264. Their areas of responsibility, working principles and length of time to grant research permission varied as well as the rules for obtaining informed consent from vulnerable groups. In 10 EU countries, there was no appeal mechanism after a negative decision by an REC. The RECs were not accountable to any organisation in five EU countries. There is a need for a fundamental debate regarding whether and which kinds of changes are needed for the further harmonisation of medical research governance in the EU and how cross-country medical research could be facilitated in the future. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Teenage pregnancies in the European Union in the context of legislation and youth sexual and reproductive health services.

PubMed

Part, Kai; Moreau, Caroline; Donati, Serena; Gissler, Mika; Fronteira, Inês; Karro, Helle

2013-12-01

To study cross-country and regional variations and trends in reported teenage pregnancies in the context of legislation and youth sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in Europe. Data were collected on teenage live births and induced abortions, abortion legislation and youth SRH services. Population-based statistics from the European Union (EU) member states. Fifteen- to nineteen-year-old female teenagers. Detailed statistical information for each member state about teenage live births, induced abortions, abortion legislation and youth SRH services were compiled relying on national and international data sources. The annual reported pregnancies per 1000 women aged 15-19 years. Teenage pregnancy rates have declined since 2001, although progress has been uneven across regions and countries. Eastern Europe has a higher average teenage pregnancy rate (41.7/1000) than Northern (30.7/1000), Western (18.2/1000) and Southern Europe (17.6/1000). While data on teenage live births are available across Europe, data on teenage abortions are unavailable or incomplete in more than one-third of EU countries. Reported teenage pregnancy rates are generally lower for countries where parental consent for abortion is not required, youth SRH services are available in all areas and contraceptives are subsidized for all minors, compared with countries where these conditions are not met. The collection of standardized teenage pregnancy statistics is critically needed in the EU. The remarkable variability in teenage pregnancy rates across the EU is likely to be explained, among other factors, by varying access to abortion and youth SRH services. © 2013 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Classification of the European Union member states according to the relative level of sustainable development.

PubMed

Anna, Bluszcz

Nowadays methods of measurement and assessment of the level of sustained development at the international, national and regional level are a current research problem, which requires multi-dimensional analysis. The relative assessment of the sustainability level of the European Union member states and the comparative analysis of the position of Poland relative to other countries was the aim of the conducted studies in the article. EU member states were treated as objects in the multi-dimensional space. Dimensions of space were specified by ten diagnostic variables describing the sustainability level of UE countries in three dimensions, i.e., social, economic and environmental. Because the compiled statistical data were expressed in different units of measure, taxonomic methods were used for building an aggregated measure to assess the level of sustainable development of EU member states, which through normalisation of variables enabled the comparative analysis between countries. Methodology of studies consisted of eight stages, which included, among others: defining data matrices, calculating the variability coefficient for all variables, which variability coefficient was under 10 %, division of variables into stimulants and destimulants, selection of the method of variable normalisation, developing matrices of normalised data, selection of the formula and calculating the aggregated indicator of the relative level of sustainable development of the EU countries, calculating partial development indicators for three studies dimensions: social, economic and environmental and the classification of the EU countries according to the relative level of sustainable development. Statistical date were collected based on the Polish Central Statistical Office publication.

Comparative development of knowledge-based bioeconomy in the European Union and Turkey.

PubMed

Celikkanat Ozan, Didem; Baran, Yusuf

2014-09-01

Biotechnology, defined as the technological application that uses biological systems and living organisms, or their derivatives, to create or modify diverse products or processes, is widely used for healthcare, agricultural and environmental applications. The continuity in industrial applications of biotechnology enables the rise and development of the bioeconomy concept. Bioeconomy, including all applications of biotechnology, is defined as translation of knowledge received from life sciences into new, sustainable, environment friendly and competitive products. With the advanced research and eco-efficient processes in the scope of bioeconomy, more healthy and sustainable life is promised. Knowledge-based bioeconomy with its economic, social and environmental potential has already been brought to the research agendas of European Union (EU) countries. The aim of this study is to summarize the development of knowledge-based bioeconomy in EU countries and to evaluate Turkey's current situation compared to them. EU-funded biotechnology research projects under FP6 and FP7 and nationally-funded biotechnology projects under The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) Academic Research Funding Program Directorate (ARDEB) and Technology and Innovation Funding Programs Directorate (TEYDEB) were examined. In the context of this study, the main research areas and subfields which have been funded, the budget spent and the number of projects funded since 2003 both nationally and EU-wide and the gaps and overlapping topics were analyzed. In consideration of the results, detailed suggestions for Turkey have been proposed. The research results are expected to be used as a roadmap for coordinating the stakeholders of bioeconomy and integrating Turkish Research Areas into European Research Areas.

Complementing the topsoil information of the Land Use/Land Cover Area Frame Survey (LUCAS) with modelled N2O emissions.

PubMed

Lugato, Emanuele; Paniagua, Lily; Jones, Arwyn; de Vries, Wim; Leip, Adrian

2017-01-01

Two objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy post-2013 (CAP, 2014-2020) in the European Union (EU) are the sustainable management of natural resources and climate smart agriculture. To understand the CAP impact on these priorities, the Land Use/Cover statistical Area frame Survey (LUCAS) employs direct field observations and soil sub-sampling across the EU. While a huge amount of information can be retrieved from LUCAS points for monitoring the environmental status of agroecosystems and assessing soil carbon sequestration, a fundamental aspect relating to climate change action is missing, namely nitrous oxide (N2O) soil emissions. To fill this gap, we ran the DayCent biogeochemistry model for more than 11'000 LUCAS sampling points under agricultural use, assessing also the model uncertainty. The results showed that current annual N2O emissions followed a skewed distribution with a mean and median values of 2.27 and 1.71 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Using a Random Forest regression for upscaling the modelled results to the EU level, we estimated direct soil emissions of N2O in the range of 171-195 Tg yr-1 of CO2eq. Moreover, the direct regional upscaling using modelled N2O emissions in LUCAS points was on average 0.95 Mg yr-1 of CO2eq. per hectare, which was within the range of the meta-model upscaling (0.92-1.05 Mg ha-1 yr-1 of CO2eq). We concluded that, if information on management practices would be made available and model bias further reduced by N2O flux measurement at representative LUCAS points, the combination of the land use/soil survey with a well calibrated biogeochemistry model may become a reference tool to support agricultural, environmental and climate policies.

Globalisation, Transnational Policies and Adult Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milana, Marcella

2012-01-01

Globalisation, transnational policies and adult education--This paper examines policy documents produced by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the European Union (EU) in the field of adult education and learning. Both these entities address adult education as an explicit object of policy. This paper…

Highway Safety Information System guidebook for the Maine state data files. Volume 2 : single variable tabulations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

The United States and European Union (EU) share many of the same transportation research issues, challenges, and goals. They also share a belief that cooperative vehicle (also termed connected vehicle) systems, based on vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle...

Sentinel-2a: multi-spectral instrument first in-orbit performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, Valerie; Isola, Claudia; Hoersch, Bianca; Gascon, Ferran; Tréma, Thierry

2017-09-01

Copernicus is a European Union (EU) led initiative designed to establish a European capacity for the provision and use of operational monitoring information for environment and security applications. Within the Copernicus program, ESA is responsible for the development of the Space Component and Ground Segment..

The European Dimension in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council of Europe, Strasbourg (France). Directorate of Education, Culture and Sport, Documentation Section.

This paper addresses concerns about a European dimension in education that has been created by the enlargement of the European Union (EU) (the inclusion of Austria, Finland, and Sweden) and the gradual transformations of institutions into a future federal state. Sections of the paper include: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Defining the…

The patentability of living organisms between science, law and ethics.

PubMed

Frati, L; Foà, R; Frati, P

1999-01-01

The approval on May 1998 of the European Union (EU) directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions has aligned Europe to the international trend about the patenting of biotechnologies. Many questions are still unresolved, i.e. the differences between the article 53b of the European Patent Convention (EPC), which prohibits patenting of plants and animal varieties, whereas the directive states that Oinvention whose object are plants or animals may be patented if the practicability of the invention is not technically confined to a particular plant or animal varietyO (article 12). Again, the interpretation of plants or animal species specificity and that on the threatening public order and morality (which inhibits patenting) may have doubtful interpretations, according to the different EU States morality and law (e.g. Denmark does not admit patentability of transgenic animals). Despite difficulties, biotechnology Research and Development for applications to medicine, veterinary sciences, agriculture and foods is continuously growing. Bioethical independent evaluations of the applications of biotechnologies and of their side-effects (risk for biodiversity of plants and animals, safety of procedures to save mankind, respect of human dignity and of fundamental human rights, etc.) are mandatory to link the interests of science and industrial productions together with those of mankind. This is the original meaning given by van Potter to the word bioethics, as a bridge to the future.

Going up or coming down? The changing phases of the lung cancer epidemic from 1967 to 1999 in the 15 European Union countries.

PubMed

Bray, F; Tyczynski, J E; Parkin, D M

2004-01-01

Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer death in the European Union (EU), continues to have an enormous impact on the health experience of the men and women living in the constituent countries. Information on the course of the lung cancer epidemic is essential in order to formulate an effective cancer control policy. This paper examines recent trends in lung cancer mortality rates in men and women in each of the 15 countries, comparing cross-sectional rates of death in younger (aged 30-64 years) and older populations (aged 65 years or over), and the age, period of death, and birth cohort influences in the younger age group. The latter analysis establishes the importance of year of birth, related to modifications in the tobacco habit among recently born generations. The stage of evolution of the lung cancer epidemic varies markedly by sex and country in terms of the direction, magnitude, and phase of development of national trends. In males, there is some consistency in the direction of the trends between EU countries, declines are apparent in most countries, at least in younger men, with rates in older men either reaching a plateau, or also falling. In younger persons, a decreasing risk of lung cancer death reflects changes in successive birth cohorts, due to modifications in the smoking habit from generation to generation, although these developments are in very different phases across countries. Portugal is the exception to the male trends; there are increases in mortality in both age groups, with little sign of a slowing down by birth cohort. In women, there are unambiguous upsurges in rates seen in younger and older women in almost all EU countries in recent decades, and little sign that the epidemic has or will soon reach a peak. The exceptions are the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, where lung cancer death rates are now declining in younger women and stabilising in older women, reflecting a declining risk in women born since about 1950. It is too early to say whether the observed plateau or decline in rates in women born very recently in several countries is real or random. To ascertain whether recent trends in lung cancer mortality will continue, trends in cigarette consumption should also be evaluated. Where data are available by country, the proportion of adult male smokers has, by and large, fallen steadily in the last five decades. In women, recent smoking trends are downwards in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands, although in Austria and Spain, large increases in smoking prevalence amongst adults are emerging. Unambiguous public health messages must be effectively conveyed to the inhabitants of the EU if the lung cancer epidemic is to be controlled. It is imperative that anti-tobacco strategies urgently target women living in the EU, in order to halt their rapidly increasing risk of lung cancer, and prevent unnecessary, premature deaths among future generations of women.

Tracking uptake of innovations from the European Union Public Health Programme.

PubMed

Voss, Margaretha; Alexanderson, Kristina; McCarthy, Mark

2013-11-01

The European Commission developed the Public Health Programme to enable cross-national innovation and transfer in fields of health information, health threats and health promotion. PHIRE (Public Health Innovation and Research in Europe), a collaboration of the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) with seven partners, addressed the uptake of these public health innovation projects at country level. EUPHA thematic sections lead on areas of public health practice and research and experts can choose to be section members. The section presidents of seven sections chose eight European public health projects, starting in the EU Public Health Programme in 2003-05, that provided new knowledge for practice and covered a majority of the EU countries. A web-based questionnaire recorded country informants' (CIs) perceptions of uptake, assessed as relevance and dissemination to a range of public and non-governmental organizations. 108 CIs individually described the eight innovations in an average of 14 (46%) of the 30 European countries. Three of the eight innovations were considered of high relevance by >60% of respondents and at least 70% of informants considered seven of the eight innovation projects as of high or moderate relevance. Dissemination was noted across governmental, professional and academic settings, with high impact on knowledge/awareness for at least 30% of CIs. Some projects had uptake within the policy cycle in particular countries and connected strongly with academics and professionals. Projects working at local level had less visibility nationally and some projects were unknown to national respondents. European Union funding for public health can contribute to cross-national knowledge transfer and uptake of innovations. More attention is needed to classify, characterize and identify public health innovations and to demonstrate their direct contribution to European health and well-being.

Enhancing the role of science in the decision-making of the European Union.

PubMed

Allio, Lorenzo; Ballantine, Bruce; Meads, Richard

2006-02-01

Used well, science provides effective ways of identifying potential risks, protecting citizens, and using resources wisely. It enables government decisions to be based on evidence and provides a foundation for a rule-based framework that supports global trade. To ensure that the best available science becomes a key input in the decisions made by EU institutions, this abridged version of a working paper produced for the European Policy Centre, a leading, independent think tank, considers how science is currently used in the policy and decision-making processes of the EU, what the limitations of scientific evidence are, and how a risk assessment process based on scientific 'good practices' can be advantageous. Finally, the paper makes recommendations on how to improve the use of science by EU institutions.

European Universe Awareness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russo, P.; Miley, G.; Westra van Holthe, F.; Schrier, W.; Reed, S.

2011-10-01

The European Universe Awareness (EU-UNAWE) programme uses the beauty and grandeur of the cosmos to encourage young children, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds, to develop an interest in science and technology and to foster a sense of global citizenship. EU-UNAWE is already active in 40 countries and comprises a global network of almost 500 astronomers, teachers and other educators. The programme was recently awarded a grant of 1.9 million euros by the European Union so that it can be further developed in five European countries and South Africa. The grant will be used to organise teacher training workshops and to develop educational materials, such as an astronomy news service for children and games. During this presentation we will outline some of the biggest achievements of EU-UNAWE to date and discuss future plans for the programme.

Effect of tasting and information on consumer opinion about pig castration.

PubMed

Kallas, Zein; Gil, José Maria; Panella-Riera, Nuria; Blanch, Marta; Font-i-Furnols, Maria; Chevillon, Patrick; De Roest, Kees; Tacken, Gemma; Oliver, Maria Angels

2013-10-01

Our research explored the relative importance of pig castration amongst other aspects of animal welfare, and the potential impact of information and sensory experiences on European Union (EU) consumers' preferences. The EU is considering a future ban on surgical pig castration by 2018 which may affect markets and consumers' preferences. We carried out an empirical study using consumer-level data obtained from questionnaires completed in a controlled environment by a total of 825 consumers. The experiment was carried out in six EU countries (Spain, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, France, Italy and Germany) which account for 66.0% of the EU-27's and 76.3% of the EU-15's meat production. Results show that consumers do not perceive pig castration to be a relevant aspect of animal welfare nor its relationship with meat quality. Consumers with healthy life styles, concerned about animal welfare and who have had a negative sensory experience with boar meat are willing to accept paying more to avoid boar taint. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating the Public Health Impact of Setting Targets at the European Level for the Reduction of Zoonotic Salmonella in Certain Poultry Populations

PubMed Central

Messens, Winy; Vivas-Alegre, Luis; Bashir, Saghir; Amore, Giusi; Romero-Barrios, Pablo; Hugas, Marta

2013-01-01

In the European Union (EU), targets are being set for the reduction of certain zoonotic Salmonella serovars in different animal populations, including poultry populations, within the framework of Regulation (EC) No. 2160/2003 on the control of zoonoses. For a three-year transitional period, the EU targets were to cover only Salmonella Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium (and in addition S. Hadar, S. Infantis and S. Virchow for breeding flocks of Gallus gallus). Before the end of that transitional period, the revision of the EU targets was to be considered, including the potentially addition of other serovars with public health significance to the permanent EU targets. This review article aims at providing an overview of the assessments carried out by the Scientific Panel on Biological Hazards of the European Food Safety Authority in the field of setting targets for Salmonella in poultry populations (breeding flocks of Gallus gallus, laying flocks of Gallus gallus, broiler flocks of Gallus gallus and flocks of breeding and fattening turkeys) and their impact in subsequent changes in EU legislation. PMID:24157508

Previous Open Rotor Research in the US

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanZante, Dale

2011-01-01

Previous Open Rotor noise experience in the United States, current Open Rotor noise research in the United States and current NASA prediction methods activities were presented at a European Union (EU) X-Noise seminar. The invited attendees from EU industries, research establishments and universities discussed prospects for reducing Open Rotor noise and reviewed all technology programs, past and present, dedicated to Open Rotor engine concepts. This workshop was particularly timely because the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) plans to involve Independent Experts in late 2011 in assessing the noise of future low-carbon technologies including the open rotor.

Time-varying long term memory in the European Union stock markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sensoy, Ahmet; Tabak, Benjamin M.

2015-10-01

This paper proposes a new efficiency index to model time-varying inefficiency in stock markets. We focus on European stock markets and show that they have different degrees of time-varying efficiency. We observe that the 2008 global financial crisis has an adverse effect on almost all EU stock markets. However, the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis has a significant adverse effect only on the markets in France, Spain and Greece. For the late members, joining EU does not have a uniform effect on stock market efficiency. Our results have important implications for policy makers, investors, risk managers and academics.

Bureaucracy blights funding in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banks, Michael

2009-04-01

The process of applying for money from the Framework programme of the European Union (EU) is a "stain" on the EU's reputation and a "radical overhaul" of the administration is needed. That is the view of an independent panel of scientists charged with evaluating the €18bn Sixth Framework programme, which lasted from 2002 to 2006 and funded collaborative research performed within more than one country. The panel says that grants handed out by the programme take, on average, over a year to get approved, with a quarter of proposals taking more than 450 days before being signed.

Future Education: Learning the Future. Scenarios and Strategies in Europe. CEDEFOP Reference Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Wieringen, Fons; Sellin, Burkart; Schmidt, Ghislaine

Five research institutes covering five European Union (EU) member states and five Central and Eastern European countries participated in a scenario project designed to improve understanding of vocational education and training (VET) systems in their economic-technological, employment-labor, and training-knowledge environments. The participating…

Evaluation of Bacteroides fragilis GB-124 bacteriophages as novel human-associated faecal indicators in the United States

EPA Science Inventory

Phages infecting human-associated Bacteroides fragilis (GB-124 phages) have been employed in the European Union (EU) to identify human fecal pollution, but their utility for U.S. was unclear. Primary sewage effluent samples were collected seasonally from seven wastewater treatme...

75 FR 76253 - Dairy Import Licensing Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-08

... associations, a counsel to the Cheese Importers Association of America and several of its member companies, a... suspension included the declining availability of cheese from the European Union (EU), a weaker U.S. dollar.... market. Conclusion: The quota-fill rates for Swiss, Gruyere, and low-fat type cheeses have continued to...

Highlights: The ETF in 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

European Training Foundation, Turin (Italy).

As part of its mandate to help the European Commission (EC) define, provide, monitor, and evaluate support to vocational education and training (VET) in regions outside the European Union (EU), the European Training Foundation (ETF) provided assistance to the following areas in 2002: Central and Eastern Europe; the New Independent States and…

Academic Entrepreneurship vs. Changing Governance and Institutional Management Structures at European Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwiek, Marek

2008-01-01

This article discusses academic entrepreneurship in the context of ongoing changes in university management and governance in European universities. The comparative perspective is provided by the European Union (EU) research project "European Universities for Entrepreneurship: Their Role in the Europe of Knowledge" (EUEREK) comprising…

Engineering Education: Environmental and Chemical Engineering or Technology Curricula--A European Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glavic, Peter; Lukman, Rebeka; Lozano, Rodrigo

2009-01-01

Over recent years, universities have been incorporating sustainable development (SD) into their systems, including their curricula. This article analyses the incorporation of SD into the curricula of chemical and environmental engineering or technology bachelor degrees at universities in the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association…

Passive Sampling in Regulatory Chemical Monitoring of Nonpolar Organic Compounds in the Aquatic Environment

EPA Science Inventory

We reviewed compliance monitoring requirements in the European Union (EU), the United States(USA), and the Oslo-Paris Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR), and evaluated if these are met by passive sampling methods for nonpola...

An Interview with Jose Eustaquio Romao

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordao, Clarissa Menezes

2007-01-01

In anticipation of the European Union (EU) Year of Intercultural Dialogue, 2008, Clarissa Menezes Jordao interviewed Jose Eustaquio Romao, Director of the Paulo Freire Institute in Brazil. Her edited translation of that interview is presented here. In the interview Romao, guided by the legacy of Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire, discusses the…

Tuition Fees for International Students in Finland: Where to Go from Here?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Yuzhuo; Kivisto, Jussi

2013-01-01

Recent Finnish policies have encouraged Finnish higher education institutions to develop a market-oriented approach to international higher education by implementing fee-based educational programmes for students from outside the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). From the Finnish government's perspective, higher education is…

The Value of a European Security and Defense Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-08

Union, Theory in International Affairs, US Foreign and Security Policy, Crisis Management, Crisis Response, 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17...1 2. The importance of theory in...will examine which paradigm of international relations is most suited to explain current developments in the EU and which theory in international

Transatlantic Moves to the Market: The United States and the European Union

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slaughter, Sheila; Cantwell, Brendan

2012-01-01

The theory of academic capitalism is used to explore US and EU marketization trajectories. Comparisons are made along the following dimensions: creation and expansion of intermediating organizations external to universities that promote closer relations between universities and markets; interstitial organizations that emerge from within…

Eliminating Language Barriers Online at European Prisons (ELBEP): A Case-Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barkan, M.; Toprak, E.; Kumtepe, A. T.; Kumtepe, E. Genc; Ataizi, M.; Pilanci, H.; Mutlu, M. E.; Kayabas, I.; Kayabas, B. Kip

2011-01-01

ELBEP (Eliminating Language Barriers in European Prisons Through Open and Distance Education Technology) is a multilateral project funded by the European Union (EU) Lifelong Learning, Grundtvig (Adult Education) Programme. It aims to overcome language/communication problems between prison staff and foreign inmates at European prisons via online…

A review on environmental monitoring of water organic pollutants identified by EU guidelines.

PubMed

Sousa, João C G; Ribeiro, Ana R; Barbosa, Marta O; Pereira, M Fernando R; Silva, Adrián M T

2018-02-15

The contamination of fresh water is a global concern. The huge impact of natural and anthropogenic organic substances that are constantly released into the environment, demands a better knowledge of the chemical status of Earth's surface water. Water quality monitoring studies have been performed targeting different substances and/or classes of substances, in different regions of the world, using different types of sampling strategies and campaigns. This review article aims to gather the available dispersed information regarding the occurrence of priority substances (PSs) and contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that must be monitored in Europe in surface water, according to the European Union Directive 2013/39/EU and the Watch List of Decision 2015/495/EU, respectively. Other specific organic pollutants not considered in these EU documents as substances of high concern, but with reported elevated frequency of detection at high concentrations, are also discussed. The search comprised worldwide publications from 2012, considering at least one of the following criteria: 4 sampling campaigns per year, wet and dry seasons, temporal and/or spatial monitoring of surface (river, estuarine, lake and/or coastal waters) and ground waters. The highest concentrations were found for: (i) the PSs atrazine, alachlor, trifluralin, heptachlor, hexachlorocyclohexane, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate; (ii) the CECs azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, diclofenac, 17α-ethinylestradiol, imidacloprid and 2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate; and (iii) other unregulated organic compounds (caffeine, naproxen, metolachlor, estriol, dimethoate, terbuthylazine, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, ketoprofen, atenolol, Bisphenol A, metoprolol, carbofuran, malathion, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine and ofloxacin). Most frequent substances as well as those found at highest concentrations in different seasons and regions, together with available risk assessment data, may be useful to identify possible future PS candidates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quality assurance: the key for amendments of the EU-directive/s regulating veterinary training in Europe.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Martínez, H

2004-08-01

The free movement of persons, goods and services within the European Union (EU) is one of the major principles established by the European treaties. This free movement shall now be reinforced through the full application of the new general system for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, in which veterinary medicine is included. The success of this measure for internal market development imposes availability of professionals with the highest possible basic training and opportunities for continuing education and specialisation. Such benchmark definition requires the establishment of veterinary training throughout the EU to focus on the qualitative aspects of the basic training they impart. New production forms, new labour markets and a higher degree of consciousness of the producers and the consumers, together with an ever-increasing load of new information and knowledge in most veterinary fields had forced changes in veterinary education strategies. These changes have led to the adaptation of curricula and the application of new pedagogical concepts ultimately leading to the design of new, exciting programmes of veterinary training. Some of them use a combination of basic education and elective terms while others have focused training in species-oriented tracks already by the time students enter the clinical level. There is general consent that the quality of basal training must enable the student to achieve a level of confidence in life-long learning so he/she would be able to follow relevant CPD's and, eventually, pursue specialisation. At the same time, veterinary establishments are concerned with their ability to achieve these goals, mostly due to the usual high costs of veterinary training that constrain their chances to maintain equality of training levels through the EU. We need to find tools to harmonise veterinary training among the establishments of veterinary education in Europe, beyond the compulsory subject and training minimum requirements laid down by the Directive 78/1027. Harmonisation requires regulations but also awareness. Establishments of veterinary education must not only comply with regulations but also become aware of the advantages of quality assurance of their basic training. The present paper is a series of personal reflections by the author who ultimately addresses veterinary educators and interest organisations such as the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE) and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) to focus on strategies of quality assurance as the basis for claims of amendments of the EU-Directive/s regulating veterinary training in Europe.

Infectious diseases prioritisation for event-based surveillance at the European Union level for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

PubMed

Economopoulou, A; Kinross, P; Domanovic, D; Coulombier, D

2014-04-17

In 2012, London hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games (the Games), with events occurring throughout the United Kingdom (UK) between 27 July and 9 September 2012. Public health surveillance was performed by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Collaboration between the HPA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) was established for the detection and assessment of significant infectious disease events (SIDEs) occurring outside the UK during the time of the Games. Additionally, ECDC undertook an internal prioritisation exercise to facilitate ECDC’s decisions on which SIDEs should have preferentially enhanced monitoring through epidemic intelligence activities for detection and reporting in daily surveillance in the European Union (EU). A team of ECDC experts evaluated potential public health risks to the Games, selecting and prioritising SIDEs for event-based surveillance with regard to their potential for importation to the Games, occurrence during the Games or export to the EU/European Economic Area from the Games. The team opted for a multilevel approach including comprehensive disease selection, development and use of a qualitative matrix scoring system and a Delphi method for disease prioritisation. The experts selected 71 infectious diseases to enter the prioritisation exercise of which 27 were considered as priority for epidemic intelligence activities by ECDC for the EU for the Games.

European Union investment and countries' involvement in mental health research between 2007 and 2013.

PubMed

Hazo, J-B; Gervaix, J; Gandré, C; Brunn, M; Leboyer, M; Chevreul, K

2016-08-01

This study aimed to estimate the commitment to mental health research by the European Union (EU) through the 7th framework (FP7) and the competitiveness and innovation (CIP) programmes during the 2007-2013 period. Research projects dedicated or partially related to mental health were identified using keywords in the CORDIS database that inventories all FP7 and CIP research projects. We then contacted projects' principal investigators to access the budget breakdown by country and performed an imputation of the distribution of funding between countries based on projects' and participants' characteristics where information was missing. Among the 25 783 research projects funded by the FP7 and the CIP, 215 (0.8%) were specifically dedicated to mental health and 170 (0.7%) were partially related to mental health. They received €607.1 million representing 1.4% of FP7 total funding. Within the FP7-Health subprogramme, the projects represented 5.2% of funding. Important variations appeared across EU countries both for raw funding, which varied between €0 and €77M, and for funding per 100 inhabitants, which varied between €0 and €293. EU funding of mental health research does not match the burden incurred by mental disorders and must be increased in the next framework programme. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Glyphosate toxicity and carcinogenicity: a review of the scientific basis of the European Union assessment and its differences with IARC.

PubMed

Tarazona, Jose V; Court-Marques, Daniele; Tiramani, Manuela; Reich, Hermine; Pfeil, Rudolf; Istace, Frederique; Crivellente, Federica

2017-08-01

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide worldwide. It is a broad spectrum herbicide and its agricultural uses increased considerably after the development of glyphosate-resistant genetically modified (GM) varieties. Since glyphosate was introduced in 1974, all regulatory assessments have established that glyphosate has low hazard potential to mammals, however, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded in March 2015 that it is probably carcinogenic. The IARC conclusion was not confirmed by the EU assessment or the recent joint WHO/FAO evaluation, both using additional evidence. Glyphosate is not the first topic of disagreement between IARC and regulatory evaluations, but has received greater attention. This review presents the scientific basis of the glyphosate health assessment conducted within the European Union (EU) renewal process, and explains the differences in the carcinogenicity assessment with IARC. Use of different data sets, particularly on long-term toxicity/carcinogenicity in rodents, could partially explain the divergent views; but methodological differences in the evaluation of the available evidence have been identified. The EU assessment did not identify a carcinogenicity hazard, revised the toxicological profile proposing new toxicological reference values, and conducted a risk assessment for some representatives uses. Two complementary exposure assessments, human-biomonitoring and food-residues-monitoring, suggests that actual exposure levels are below these reference values and do not represent a public concern.

European union regulatory developments for new vaccine adjuvants and delivery systems.

PubMed

Sesardic, Dorothea; Dobbelaer, Roland

2004-06-23

Interest in vaccine adjuvants and new delivery systems has grown rapidly over the past few years. New vaccine candidates have emerged, which, because of their poor immunogenicity, rely on adjuvants to improve their presentation and targeting and to potentiate their protective immune response. Better understandings of the mechanisms of action, together with logistic and economical considerations have resulted in an explosion of technologies. However, there have been few new registered products for human use, and antigens incorporated into immunostimulating reconstituted influenza virosomes have only relatively recently been licensed in European Union (EU) countries. Influenza vaccine, adjuvanted with water in oil emulsion containing squalene (adjuvant MF59C1) is now also approved. Although current EU regulations focus on traditional adjuvants, notably aluminium and calcium salts, advances have been made in regulatory considerations. The European agency for the evaluation of medicinal products, through its working parties, is actively drafting guidance on requirements for the evaluation of new adjuvants in vaccines. This paper summarises the new developments in EU regulatory aspects relevant to adjuvant quality at development stages, during the manufacturing process, and at the final bulk stage of adjuvant with antigen, and also summarises regulatory expectation regarding safety at pre-clinical and clinical stages. The paper highlights the regulatory concerns and existing bottlenecks that have led to slow approval of new technologies.

Healthier lives for European minority groups: school and health care, lessons from the Roma.

PubMed

Flecha, Ainhoa

2013-07-24

On average, the Roma in Europe can expect to die 10 years earlier than the rest of the population, given the health conditions they experience. EU-funded research has informed on successful actions (SA) that when implemented among the Roma provide them new forms of educational participation which have a direct impact on improving their health status, regardless of their educational level. The findings from this research, unanimously endorsed by the European Parliament, have been included in several European Union recommendations and resolutions as part of the EU strategy on Roma inclusion. To analyze these SA, as well as the conditions that promote them and their impact on reducing health inequalities, communicative fieldwork has been conducted with Roma people from a deprived neighbourhood in the South of Spain, who are participating in the previously identified SA. The analysis reveals that these SA enable Roma people to reinforce and enrich specific strategies like improving family cohesion and strengthening their identity, which allow them to improve their overall health. These findings may inform public policies to improve the health condition of the Roma and other vulnerable groups, one goal of the Europe 2020 strategy for a healthier Europe.