Policies

CONSUMER PROTECTION

Hygiene and health: two important topics in life

European Union Health Policy is a good example of the dynamics of European integration. Current support measures concerning European Health Policy are determined jointly by the European Parliament and the Council. This guarantees that Parliament and as the strongest force in the EP, the EPP-ED, plays a crucial role in shaping European Health Policy.

European Health Policy is directed towards preventing illnesses and diseases, in particular major health scourges. The Treaty stipulates that every Community measure must be based on the principle that it is not detrimental to human health: 'A high level of human health protection shall be ensured in the definition and implementation of all Community policies and activities.'

In 2002, the Health Action Programme was adopted after agreement had been reached by the Council of Health Ministers and Parliament. This has provided the European Union with a long-term action programme (2003-2008) on health promotion, information, education and training, one which is not geared to the various aspects of a specific health problem, but instead embraces general preventive factors and measures relevant to health promotion.

The EPP-ED Group strongly supported the programme which is based on an approach which focuses on health promotion. The aim of such an approach, geared specifically towards health rather than illness, is to promote a responsible way of life.

Furthermore the EPP-ED Group is proposing that an efficient European health monitoring centre needs to be created in order to develop a system of high-quality health reporting.

Secondly on the hygiene issue, for the EPP-ED Group hygiene and food safety are an integral part of EU policy on consumer protection and health. The EPP-ED strongly supports the "farm to fork" approach. Therefore improved traceability throughout the food chain is of particular importance for the EPP-ED Group. This enables the swift and accurate identification of feed and food derived from feed and is essential for the effective protection of public health.

Many food crisis had their origin in contaminated feed. Therefore the hygiene handling and production of feed is absolutely vital to ensure safe food. Also of particular importance for the EPP-ED Group is the obligation for feed operators to provide financial guarantees to cover the costs if something is wrong with their feed. The polluter must pay, public money should not be use to undo avoidable damage.

For the EPP-ED, it is only logic that the same standards are in force for imported feed and food into the EU and that enforcement measures, including sanctions, to be imposed in the case of non-compliance with food and feed law.


Harald Kandolf


Food safety

Food is at the heart of European culture and civilisation, and has major importance both in economic terms and in terms of public health. It affects us all, all of the time. In an open and globalised world, Community action is essential in order to guarantee to every citizen, from one end of Europe to the other, that the products that they are consuming are among the safest in the world.

The EPP-ED Group therefore initiated the rapid establishment of a genuine mechanism for effectively improving food safety across the whole of Europe. With this aim in mind, the EPP-ED Group wants the European food safety authority to play a key role in restoring consumer confidence.

It is important to strengthen or create harmonised high safety standards and to establish checks for them. The EPP-ED Group therefore proposes improving hygiene conditions and reducing existing contaminants factors, enabling the most accurate tracing possible right along the food chain from production to the final consumer, according to the concept of 'from the plough to the plate'.

The EPP-ED Group still sees improving consumer information requirements as one of the essential elements. Consumers should be able to make informed choices and exercise their free will based on clear, precise and safe information.

In this respect, one of its priorities is to establish a major information campaign aimed at disseminating good food practice. At domestic level, hygiene, good preservation of products, a balanced diet and the essential daily intake of nutrients are just as much guarantees of safe eating. Young children are the priority targets for this type of campaign.

More environmentally friendly agricultural practices are also essential. Well thought-out use of pesticides and fertilisers but also of antibiotics in rearing animals for human consumption are the main priorities of the EPP-ED Group.


Géraldine Philibert


Chemical products

Global production of chemicals amounts to 400 million tonnes, around 100 000 of which are for the Community market. In 1998, the EU chemical industry was the world leader ahead of the United States (28% of production value). The European chemical industry is the third largest and directly employs 1.7 million people and a further 3 million spin-off jobs.

Citizens of the European Union are increasingly faced with the negative effects of chemicals in all areas. Some chemicals seriously damage human health, leading to suffering and premature death, and seriously damage the environment. The lack of knowledge regarding the effects of many chemicals on human health and the environment has become a global cause for concern.

This is why the EPP-ED Group is committed to a policy on chemicals aimed at ensuring a high level of protection of human health and the environment.

In order to achieve these objectives, the principle of precaution is essential, as well as replacing dangerous substances with less toxic substances, where appropriate substitutes exist. The Group is also seeking to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market and the competitiveness of the chemical industry and, in this respect, it encourages technical innovation and developing safer chemicals.

The EPP-ED Group is in favour of placing given substances (those already on the market in September 1981, which represent more than 99% of the total volume of all substances marketed) the same legal status as new substances (marketed after 1981, numbering around 2 700, which have to go through a series of tests prior to being sold in order to evaluate the possible risks to human health and the environment), and also supports the registration and evaluation procedure proposed for all substances from one tonne per year upwards.

Ensuring a balance between public health, the environment and industry has become a challenge that the EPP-ED is facing both for the present generation and for future generations.


Amarylli Gersony


Genetically Modified Organisms: Striking the right balance

The EPP-ED Group has always strongly advocated a standard European minimum protection level for the benefit of the consumer in laws relating to foodstuffs. We are ensuring that harmonisation for all products guarantees a high level of protection of the safety and health of citizens, to rebuild the confidence of people in Europe that their food is safely produced.

Genetic modification is a major new technology with the potential to change our lives, however, it also creates fears and challenges. The GMO issue is a political as well as a technical one. As policy makers and legislators the EPP-ED Group has a clear responsibility to provide high levels of safety for European citizens and to enable them to exercise choice.

Furthermore consumers in Europe have a growing interest in production methods and ethical and environmental considerations have an increasing influence on product purchases.

Therefore for the EPP-ED, EU-food policy must aim at creating the conditions in which we have good reasons to feel confident about the food we eat and we have to ensure that the consumer is correctly informed so that he is able to choose whether or not to buy GM products.

In the European Parliament, the EPP-ED Group has been the leading force to strike a balance between the importance of scientific innovation, supporting the industry and ensuring job creation and the right of consumers to safe food, a healthy environment and freedom of choice based on transparent information.

The EPP-ED is at the forefront of policy-making on the great 21st century issue GMOs. For the EPP-ED Group it is vital that policy is workable and acceptable long-term and that it makes sense economically.


Harald Kandolf


Consumer policy

Every citizen is a potential consumer. In the age of the Internet and e-commerce, it has become more important than ever before to have legislation that will enable consumers to make their purchases in complete confidence.

The European Union, which is synonymous with the vast single market in which you can now compare prices from Athens to Dublin and from Helsinki to Madrid via Vienna and Rome, offers its consumers one of the most effective protection systems in the world.

On the grounds that "forewarned is forearmed", the EPP-ED Group considers it essential for consumers to have clear and accurate information.

Product labelling is therefore an essential tool. European citizens must be able to receive the same information from one end of Europe to another, and thus be able to make their choices in full knowledge of the facts. With regard to foods (product composition, expiry date, price per kilo, per unit, etc.), advertising (banning of misleading advertising and monitoring of comparative advertising), product guarantees and mail order (withdrawal deadlines, delivery conditions, etc.) the EPP-ED Group always advocates transparent, rational and useful information.

The EPP-ED Group is actively working towards programmes that will enable consumer associations to have effective representation and participation in the European institutions, contributing to establishing Community legislation.

The Group also supports information programmes aimed at consumers themselves, so that they are aware of their rights and the means available to them to defend those rights, in particular the right to the protection of health and safety, and the right to information and education, particularly focused on a practical approach to sustainable consumption.


Géraldine Philibert


See also leaflets on Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development.