The European Commission is committed to beating cancer. More than 30 years after publishing its last action plan, the institution presented its strategy to curb this scourge on Wednesday 3 February. Its action focuses on prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment and the quality of life of survivors (see EUROPE 12646/4).
In a press conference, Vice President Margarítis Schinás acknowledged that the Covid-19 crisis currently affecting the world may have had an influence on the “preparation” of communication, but that it had not affected the EU’s “political willingness” to deliver (see EUROPE 12475/21).
And the European Commission wants to show ambition in the fight against cancer by committing itself to highly sensitive issues such as rules on tobacco and alcohol consumption. The institution also promises a budget of 4 billion euros from the EU4Health (1.25 billion euros), Horizon Europe, Digital Europe and Erasmus programmes.
The European Cancer Patient Coalition welcomes this appetite on the eve of World Cancer Day.
Tobacco in the spotlight
As we announced last week, the Commission has set itself the ambitious goal of achieving a smoke-free generation by 2040, when less than 5% of the population would be smoking. To this end, the Commission suggests reviewing several European legislations, such as the Tobacco Products Directive (2014/40/EU, TPD), the Tobacco Taxation Directive (2011/64/EU) and the recommendation on smoke-free environments.
According to a Eurobarometer published today, a “relative majority” of respondents would indeed support a ban on flavourings in electronic cigarettes and the introduction of the neutral packet, two topics that had been much debated during the TPD discussions.
On taxation, Margarítis Schinás stressed that the future proposal responds to a call from the EU Council of June 2020. “The three key issues to be addressed in the revision: increase of minimal rate for all traditional tobacco product, harmonisation of taxation of new products (e-cig, heated) and the fight against fraud, an notably the harmonisation of measures to control the movement of raw tobacco”, he told journalists. These questions are the subject of a brand new public consultation (see EUROPE 12648/25).
Alcohol and meat consumption also in the spotlight
The Commission is also considering a review of the taxation of alcoholic beverages and cross-border purchases of such beverages. It also plans to present in 2022 a legislative proposal on mandatory labelling of ingredient lists and nutritional declaration on alcoholic beverages. And the following year, a proposal on affixing health warnings.
The European spirits producers’ organisation, SpiritsEurope, reacted soberly to these announcements, insisting that harmful alcohol consumption should be tackled without banning light or moderate consumption.
The day before the presentation, however, the Italian farmers’ organisation Coldiretti had shot back at the Commission, accusing it of wanting to cut funds for the promotion of meat, charcuterie and wine and to put labels on bottles that were even more alarming than those on cigarette packets (see EUROPE 12649/30). “The EU will not ban wine or label it as toxic. This is part of who we have been since antiquity”, Mr Schinás replied.
As for meat, the Commission’s intentions are not very clear at this stage. While a draft text leaked to the press mentions the idea of ending EU funding for campaigns to promote red and processed meat, the latter version only mentions the current review of the policy to promote agricultural products, which should help support the transition to a more vegetable-based diet, with less red and processed meat and more fruit and vegetables. A change of direction that has disappointed Greenpeace.
MEPs’ high expectations
The political groups in the European Parliament have also reacted positively to the Communication, with some, such as the S&D and Renew Europe groups, calling to go further.
For Véronique Trillet-Lenoir (Renew Europe, France), rapporteur for Parliament’s Special Committee on Beating Cancer, there is also a need for “stronger measures and clear objectives to combat environmental pollution, guarantee health and safety at work, limit the exposure of workers to carcinogenic and mutagenic substances and take into account the cumulative effect of dangerous chemical substances”. The S&D, for its part, referred to minimum standards for quality care and full implementation of the Directive on cross-border healthcare.
The new Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan will be debated in a special committee of the same name (BECA) on 4 February, with the Commissioner for Health, Stella Kyriakides.
Link to the plan: https://bit.ly/2YHGHjW and to the Eurobarometer: http://bit.ly/3oFWom1 (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)