WRITTEN QUESTION E-3254/00

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 October 2000)

Subject: EU aid for the European Diabetics' League

The European Diabetics' League is an NGO which campaigns for the introduction of prevention policies to limit the damage caused by an illness which accounts for 125 000 deaths every year in Europe.

It was founded in Rome in November 1999, in response to President Prodi's expressed desire for social partners to engage in dialogue with in all areas.

Given that the number of diabetes sufferers in Europe has doubled in the last decade, can the Commission state how the EU can assist the European Diabetics' League, which campaigns essentially for prevention?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(30 November 2000)

The Commission recognises the valuable work of organisations such as the European Diabetics League. As far as Community activities in the area of public health are concerned, emphasis over recent years has in general been moving from a disease-specific approach to an approach based on lifestyle and health determinants. As an example with clear implications for the prevention of diabetes, the Community's health promotion programme supports the European network for health-enhancing physical activity.

Within the framework of the recent proposal for a decision of the Parliament and the Council adopting a programme of Community action in the field of public health(1), health monitoring activities will include the monitoring of diabetes across Europe. Furthermore, it is the Commission's intention to exploit the scope given within this proposal in order to promote activities linked to certain aspects of diabetes like self management, the prevention of the adult type diabetes, and the fact that many people learn too late that they are affected by this disease, with the risks which this implies e.g. for the eyesight and amputations.

As for participation in these activities by the European Diabetics League and other organisations, the Commission would draw the attention of the Honourable Member to the establishment of the European Health Forum, which is foreseen in the communication) preceding the above proposal. This European Health Forum should be set up as a consultative mechanism to ensure the aims of the Community's health strategy are made clear to the public and to respond to their concerns. Representative organisations of patients, health professionals and others will have an opportunity to make inputs into health policy and the setting of priorities for action. The Forum will thus provide an opportunity to organise consultations and present views on a wide range of topics. The Commission intends to launch a consultation later this year on the detailed functioning, organisation and composition of the Forum.

Finally research on diabetes is financed under the fifth research and technological development (RTD) framework programme. In fact, under the heading of Theme 1 (Quality of life and management of living resources), the RTD activities of a generic nature foresee research into Chronic and degenerative diseases (in particular cancer and diabetes), cardiovascular diseases and rare diseases.

(1) COM(2000) 285 final.