Brussels, 10/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - The informal Council of European Union health ministers, which took place in Vilnius on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 July, examined the issue of smoking among young people. The committee vote on the tobacco directive takes place in the European Parliament on Wednesday 10 July. Out of the current 80 million smokers, 70% started smoking before the legal age. “We have reflected on what we could do, apart from the directive, to make smoking less attractive for young people”, said European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy Tonio Borg. In particular, he mentioned the possibilities of banning the sale of tobacco to under-18 year olds and also the need to apply the World Health Organisation's FCTC (WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) which was adopted by the European Union in 2003. Borg said he was “confident in the ability of the Lithuanian Presidency to get the Tobacco Directive adopted as soon as possible”. The objective for this is December, according to Lithuania's Minister for Health Vytensis Povilas Andriukaitis. The informal Council criticised the tobacco industry, which attempts to attract young people with attractive packaging. Regarding the issues of electronic cigarettes and plain packaging, which were left up in the air at the Health Council on 21 June, Povilas Andriukaitis said “to wait for the discussions at the European Parliament”, and said he was sure the trialogue would end up identifying a common viewpoint.
The EU health ministers discussed the issue of the sustainability of health systems which are facing fundamental challenges - demographic changes, economic difficulties and patients' expectations (such as the possibility of using a prescription in another member state). In Borg's opinion, money should be spent more intelligently. “The economic crisis must not be a health systems' crisis”, he said. The European Commission proposed obtaining help from an experts' group in order to reflect on health system reforms.
The Council also wants to strengthen the inclusion of elderly people in society and, more specifically, in the world of work - by supporting, for example, flexible pension schemes. This aims to ensure their physical well-being and also to prevent mental troubles that can present at a certain age. This currently relates to 11% of the EU population. According to the Council, reducing stress at work would enable the situation to be improved considerably. (LM/transl.fl)