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Consumers |
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Flight cancelled? Lost luggage? Help is at hand. The European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) offer citizens free advice about their rights when travelling and shopping across borders. They can also help them solve problems with traders in another EU country (plus Iceland and Norway) when things go wrong. Since many of the complaints they receive concern transport, in particular air travel, the Network has organised a special 'Air Passenger Rights Day' at 27 airports (23 countries) across the EU. Please follow the link for more information. |
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Safer shopping: European Consumer Centres help 71,000 EU shoppers in 2010 In 2010, the network of European Consumer Centres provided help and advice to cross-border EU shoppers in over 71,000 cases, up by 15% compared to 2009. ECC-Net 2010 annual report |
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Consumers: A genuine internal market of safe products – Safety at source a key objective. Whether a baby-stroller or a new pair of shoes, we all like to be sure that the products we buy in the EU are safe. Happily, fewer dangerous products are reaching the EU market since such products are now identified and removed more readily. See the latest report from the EU's rapid alert system for (non-food) dangerous products (RAPEX). If you are also curious about how safe your sports helmet is - see also the results of the recent investigation. Press Release | Q&A | Rapex Report 
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The 3rd European Consumer Summit "EU consumer policy: the way ahead" will take place on 11-12 April 2011.
Stakeholders' discussions will inform the new Strategy after 2013. On the occasion, Commissioner Dalli will
announce the results of the Eurobarometer Consumer Empowerment Survey.
Summit themes:
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On 30 March 2011 the Commission adopted a modification of the structure of its Directorate General for Health & Consumers. The new organigramme will come into effect on 16 May 2011. |
Health |
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Men's Health Report The Men's Health Report, published by the Commission on 25 August, highlights the state of men's health across Europe. Patterns emerging from data taken from 34 European countries show marked differences in health outcomes amongst men both between and within countries. Read the report... |
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Report on the public consultation on the possible revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (2001/37/EC) On 27 July, the European Commission published the results of the public consultation on the upcoming revision of the Tobacco Products Directive. The public consultation generated an unprecedented 85 000 responses. The public consultation report is available in English here. It will subsequently also be published in French and German. |
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European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing The European Commission has launched its pilot EIP on Active and Healthy Ageing. Stakeholders such as industry, health professionals, patients, insurers, EU Institutions, national and regional authorities have massively taken part to several working groups to consider new ways of working together across the entire innovation value chain. As result of their work, action lines for our partnership have been identified. Read more... |
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New legislation against falsified medicines The new legislation on falsified medicines - applicable as of 2 Jan. 2013 - was published on 1 July in the EU's Official Journal. It introduces tougher, harmonised, pan-European rules to ensure safe medicines and rigorously controlled trade in medicines. Read more... |
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Commission Report on Voluntary and Unpaid Donation of Tissues and Cells
The report shows that nearly all EU countries provide for citizens to donate their tissues and cells voluntarily and without pay. Read more... |
Food |
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Two new EFSA opinions on genetically modified soybean for food and feed uses have been published on 26 July 2011 In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed, the public may make comments on these opinions during 1 month. |
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The Commission adopted today a draft regulation to strengthen rules on foods for vulnerable population groups e.g. infants and children up to 3 years old, and people with medical conditions e.g. cancer patients, people with metabolism disorders, etc. The proposal maintains current compositional and labelling rules for infant and follow-on formulae, processed cereal-based foods and other baby foods and foods for special medical purposes. It replaces the current 3 lists with a single EU list of substances that can be added to these foods, including minerals and vitamins. It will now be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council. Read more... |
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On 22 May Germany informed the European Commission of a significant increase in the number of patients with hemolytic uremic sysndrome (HUS) and bloody diarrhea caused by enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). Investigations have now concluded that a Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli bacteria is responsible for this outbreak. A number of people with STEC developed the haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious form of the disease. More information about this outbreak can be found here. |
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On 30 March 2011 the Commission adopted a modification of the structure of its Directorate General for Health & Consumers. The new organigramme will come into effect on 16 May 2011. |
Animals |
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Over 350 people from 300 organisations, companies and countries took part in the conference on "Crisis Management in the Food Chain", 19-20 May in Brussels. Subjects ranged from the dangers of modelling, the EU response to avian flu, animal welfare in times of crisis, how the UK has moved on since FMD in 2001, capacity-building in developing countries to what we have got wrong/right in the media. Read more... |
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On 30 March 2011 the Commission adopted a modification of the structure of its Directorate General for Health & Consumers. The new organigramme will come into effect on 16 May 2011. |
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International Green Week opened in Berlin on 21 January 2011 At the opening ceremony of International Green Week, Germany's Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner, Director General for Health & Consumers Paola Testori Coggi and Bernard Vallat, Director General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) cut a cake to mark the World Veterinary Year. The dioxin situation in Germany was a central topic. Paola T. Coggi pointed out that the discovery of the dioxin contamination shows that the system works. A joint stand of DG Health & Consumers and OIE highlights the role of vets in ensuring animal health and food safety. Commissioner Dalli will inaugurate the World Veterinary Year in Versailles today. Read more... |
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One Year To Celebrate The Veterinary Profession This year marks the 250th birthday of the veterinary profession. The European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Consumer Policy (DG SANCO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) join forces to organise a series of events to celebrate the anniversary and highlight the diverse role of veterinarians across the world. Their partnership begins with the dissemination of six video clips promoting the profession to the public. |
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Commission adopts measures after FMD case in Bulgaria The European Commission adopted urgent protection measures after a wild boar, which was shot by hunters at the end of 2010 in Bulgaria, tested positive to Food and Mouth Disease (FMD). The Commission's decision, adopted on January 6, aims to reinforce control measures for FMD already taken by the competent Bulgarian authorities. Read more | Press Release |
Plants
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European Conference on EU Plant Variety Rights in the 21st Century A Conference on EU Plant Variety Rights in the 21st Century will be held in Brussels on 11 October 2011. The conference will communicate and discuss the results of the evaluation of the Community Plant Variety Rights legislation and will consider the way forward. The aim is to gain a clear view on the position of the various stakeholder groups with regard to the recommendations made in the evaluation report. Read more... |
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On 30 March 2011 the Commission adopted a modification of the structure of its Directorate General for Health & Consumers. The new organigramme will come into effect on 16 May 2011. |
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The Commisssion and the Mediterranean Member States discussed control and eradication of red palm weevil A strategy to control and eradicate the red palm weevil, an insect which attacks palm trees, was discussed by experts from all affected Member States and the Commission during a conference in Valencia, Spain on 5 and 6 May 2010. |
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