EHN expresses disappointment in the outcome of the Culture Committee vote today on the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.

Time to put words into action: 14 Health NGOs ask the MEPs in the CULT committee to reduce child exposure to unhealthy foods and alcohol.

EHN welcomes the commitment of six food giants (The Coca-Cola Company, Mars, Mondelez, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever) to a robust nutrition labelling scheme that helps consumers make balanced and mindful choices, but urges caution as research shows no evidence that the provision of nutrition information on a per portion basis can reduce consumption.

The publication of the new report on European Cardiovascular Disease Statistics 2017 will be the basis of a debate today in the European Parliament in Brussels.

In direct contrast to the conclusions of a recent speech by WHF past-President Dr Salim Yusuf, the EHN Expert Group on Nutrition asserts that there is no reason to question current nutrition recommendations.  Please read the EHN statement here.

According to a report issued this St. Valentine’s day by the European Heart Network (EHN), cardiovascular disease now costs the EU economy ‚¬210 billion a year.

The report, the fifth edition of European Cardiovascular Disease Statistics, confirms that the fall in death rates from heart disease and stroke over recent decades is a sustainable trend. A development welcomed by the EHN which plays a leading role in the prevention and reduction of cardiovascular disease through advocacy, networking, capacity-building and patient support.

However, the report also confirms that considerable inequalities in the burden of these diseases persist across the European region.

In the past decade, international leaders and health advocates have consistently fought to put non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) on the global agenda, not only the health agenda, but on top of the priorities that must be tackled with a Whole-of-Society, “health in all policies” approach. It resulted in a UN resolution, a WHO action plan and various other initiatives at European and international level. Member States and the European Union have committed to a 25% reduction of preventable NCDs by 2025.

The European Chronic Disease Alliance and the NCD Alliance, with the support of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, will hold a two-day meeting on 12 and 13 December 2016 in Brussels, “The European Response to Chronic Diseases - the Role of Civil Society”.

On 1 December the event “AVMSD: What about our Kids?” takes place in the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Daciana Octavia Sá¢rbu and organised by a coalition of ten organisations. The event gathers experts from a wide range of backgrounds to discuss the effects of marketing on children’s behaviours, tools to reduce child exposure to commercial communications for unhealthy food and alcohol and the effectiveness of self-regulatory schemes. Speakers include WHO Europe, European Commission, academia, healthcare payers and a wider panel for debate.

The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVSMD) offers a once in a decade opportunity to protect children from commercial communications on alcohol and unhealthy foods.