Brussels, 02/08/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European League of Diabetics (ELD) has recently launched a large-scale awareness campaign targeting both national and European authorities in order to draw their attention to this very common disease (it affects more than 19 million people in the EU) and its consequences, which can often be very serious. During a press conference organised by the European Parliament, the Spanish President of the Socialist Group, Enrique Baron and the ELD President, José Herrada, expressed their wishes for a Community programme to be set up to fight against this disease. This campaign could reinforce cooperation between Member States, develop exchanges of experiences on good practices, improve information on the subject, highlight prevention and care. According to available information, the number of diabetics could double in Europe and reach 221 million in the world by 2004. Barely 28% of diabetics are currently able to manage their illness, which can provoke vascular problems that are often fatal, as well as a range of retinopathies, nephropathies and neuropathies. Discussing the health repercussions of this pathology, a complex aetiology which manifests itself in different forms, Doctor Vaccinate Ibanez estimated that it is the cause of 95,000 deaths a year in the EU, accounts for 15% of people occupying hospital beds and this is just for the non-insulin dependent diabetes - annual costs are in the range of EUR 29 bn.