Brussels, 09/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - Health for all and active consumers for sustainable growth. This is the Commission's watchword for the two proposed programmes it adopted on Wednesday - one for health, the other for consumers - in the framework of the 2014-2020 financial perspectives. The new programme for health, entitled Health for Growth, will have a budget of €446 million and the “Consumers” programme a budget of €197 million. “These two programmes build on the ongoing Health and Consumer Programmes and pursue the objectives of the strategy for intelligent, sustainable and inclusive growth. These programmes aim to foster a Europe of healthy, active, informed and empowered citizens, who can contribute to economic growth. It is about fostering the conditions for people to live to their full potential and play a key role in society and in the economy. By investing in people, we are investing in growth”, said Health and Consumer Commissioner John Dalli, presenting the content of the proposals to the press.
The Health for Growth programme aims to support and build upon the efforts of the member states to achieve four objectives: - to contribute to the creation of innovative and sustainable healthcare systems (providing healthcare services to the coming generations with fewer resources); - to increase access to better-quality healthcare for all citizens; - to promote health and prevent disease by attacking the main risk factors for most diseases, such as smoking, alcoholism and obesity, in other words “investing more to help people stay in good health rather than investing in treatments for when they fall ill”; - to protect the citizens from cross-border threats to health. “This new programme places emphasis on the fundamental issues where Europe can make a difference, by making better use of our budget. Health is what determines whether a person is capable of working or not. The healthcare sector is at the cutting edge of innovation, is a net job creator”, John Dalli explained.
The “Consumers” programme puts the consumer at the heart of the single market, because “it is through consumers, when they have the confidence and the ability to act, that the markets are stimulated”, the commissioner stressed. It will pursue four objectives: - improving product safety through effective market monitoring; - improving information and awareness for consumers and supporting consumer organisations; - consolidating consumer rights and reinforcing their channels of appeal, notably via alternative dispute resolution systems online; - reinforcing cooperation between bodies tasked with applying rights and supporting consumers by means of the European network of consumer centres. (AN/transl.fl)