Policies

Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

The EU objectives in the area of environmental policy are:

• preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment
• protecting human health
• promoting the prudent and rational utilisation of natural resources
• promoting measures at international level to deal with regional or world-wide environmental problems.

The EPP Group in the European Parliament has always backed these objectives. We consider it our duty to protect and safeguard our natural environment in Europe and throughout the world. In our view, human freedom also embraces the recognition of our responsibility towards the natural world.


The EPP Group

...is protecting the environment by ensuring a practicable, manageable and insurable environmental damage legislation

The EPP Group is convinced that sustained and ecologically-sound development must consistently be the concept at the heart of European environmental policy. Instead of fighting the symptoms, environmental policy should attack the causes.

We underline that business should operate in a framework where it is held responsible for environmental damage for which it is responsible. Liability has to be well defined and a liability regime must be based on clear definitions, practicalities and consequences. Therefore operators have firstly to take preventive action if there is an imminent threat of damage and secondly remedial action at their own expense - when the damage has already occurred.

The EPP Group believes that those responsible for environmental damage have to pay the overall macroeconomic costs and are given incentives to avoid producing harmful emissions.

...has committed itself to creating jobs and economic growth through waste management

For the EPP Group, a high level of environmental protection through waste management is not only an ethical and political end in itself, but also an indispensable prerequisite for industrial growth in this sector. Whereas in the past, industry viewed environmental protection as a barrier to competition. Today, waste requirements are felt to be a genuine competitive advantage.

The significance of the European waste industry as a rapidly-expanding industrial market can no longer be underestimated: environmental protection through waste management creates jobs.

Furthermore, modern life-cycle management can only work if waste producers bear the responsibility and costs for waste disposal. But before creating waste, we have to decide how to avoid generating waste, how to reduce the use of resources and which waste has to be recycled.

The EPP Group underlines its commitment and focus on waste prevention and recycling. We call for introducing the principle of life-cycle management and product liability for manufacturers and distributors.

...is leading the way to protect the marine environment

We are convinced that we have to play an essential role in protecting and conserving the marine environment in Europe for future generations, since the marine environment knows no frontiers, nor exclusive zones.

The consequences of climate change for the oceans will involve not only a rise in sea levels, but will also affect ecosystems. Furthermore, sea fishing and inshore aquaculture are carried out in the marine environment. For the EPP Group, only an ecosystem-based approach to fishing would make it possible to maintain or restore fish stocks and safeguard marine biodiversity.

Finally for the EPP Group, it is vital that marine policy is workable long-term, and that it makes sense economically. Aquatic fauna and flora must be protected, but without disregarding economic, social, cultural and regional requirements.

Food information and safety

Food information for consumers is one of the core items of the 2009-2014 term. The EPP Group is in favour of maximum transparency and choice for consumers. Food information must be clearly visible on the packaging and ought to contain all relevant nutrition facts. The needs of small and medium-sized food producers must be taken onboard.

The varying national standards should be replaced by a common EU set of rules to ensure comparability for consumers and a level playing-field for producers. The EPP Group has thoroughly assessed and amended the draft Directive and is ready for an agreement with the Council over the new standards by the end of 2010/beginning of 2011.

The EPP Group strongly supports the 'farm to fork' approach. Therefore improved traceability throughout the food chain is of particular importance. This enables the swift and accurate identification of feed and food derived from feed and is essential for the effective protection of public health.

Health care

European Health Policy is directed towards preventing illnesses and diseases. Member States are responsible for the respective national health care systems.

Patients' mobility, however, is also a European issue. According to a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling, health care services are a cross-border issue and European citizens must be able to have their treatment refunded right across the EU.

The EPP Group is in favour of adopting the draft Directive on Patients' Mobility, another core item of the 2009-2014 term, as soon as possible and calls on the Council to overcome its deadlock. Citizens must be given the full choice and no longer suffer from cross-border health care restrictions.

The urban environment

80% of the population of Europe now lives in an urban environment. There is a great deal of pollution associated with city life and it can be very significant in terms of public health.

Noise, pollution from excess traffic and industry, the risks from unhealthy accommodation (lead poisoning from lead in old paintwork, carbon monoxide poisoning, etc) are all everyday dangers.

There are many illnesses linked to pollution and environmental noise, such as asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases, allergies, disturbed sleep patterns, dermatological conditions and stress. Those who are most exposed - children, the elderly and pregnant women - are also the weakest.

This is why the EPP Group advocates establishing a strategy aimed at making the urban environment a priority. Quality of life in European towns and cities needs to be improved. This is one of the challenges to be dealt with in terms of public health. We should no longer passively put up with what is in reality intolerable.