Pesticide Action Network Europe sent a joint-letter with over 80 organisations, among them HEAL, to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Secretary-General of the European Commission Ilze Juhansone, calling them to keep the competence on pesticides within DG SANTE.
With the new EU strategic agenda, and policy cycle to 2029, European Union decision-makers can choose the path to better health, by recognising the urgency to act and adopting environmental and climate policies that accelerate the necessary transformation in this decade.
In a letter, HEAL urges Members of the European Parliament to keep the current scope of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) to protect health against the triple crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
In a letter, HEAL urges EU Heads of State to include measures to tackle pollution for people’s health in their blueprint for the next five years of EU policymaking.
The Green 10, the coalition of ten of the largest environmental organisations and networks active on the European level including HEAL, has sent a letter to European Parliament group leaders, making an urgent appeal to continue to prioritise a green and just transition towards climate neutrality, zero pollution and thriving nature, as political groups in the Parliament are holding talks over future priorities and consider their approval of a European Commission President.
Following the elections to the European Parliament which closed last night, health groups underline the need for a renewed, strengthened commitment by EU decision-makers to protect people’s health across the bloc:
HEAL has sent a letter to EU environment ministers on European Environment Action Programme (8EAP) for adoption at the June Environment Council.
Blogpost by Genon K. Jensen, HEAL founder and Executive Director on the need to prioritise health in the 2024 EU elections: it is time policymakers take strong and consistent action to address climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution for their constituents' benefit.
HEAL has today sent a letter to members of the European Council regarding the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029. The over 80 members strong alliance working for a healthy planet for…
To answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the impact of harmful chemicals on people’s health and the environment, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) has launched a new easy-to-use infographic and supporting social media assets.
Members of the European Parliament voted against the draft text for a Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR), following a substantial hollowing out of the draft law. This is worrying news for health.
On 4 October 2023, the European Court of Justice ruled that the 2019 EU-wide ban of the health-harming pesticide chlorpyrifos-methyl remains in force. This blog revisits the long road that led to the decision to ban the substance from the European market in 2019, delves into the related health stakes, and explores the legal challenge that followed the ban.
In view of the upcoming plenary vote on the Regulation on the Sustainable use of Pesticide Regulation (SUR) on 22 November, health organisations call on MEPs to swiftly advance the SUR negotiations and strengthen the protection of people in Europe against hazardous pesticides, as a key law to prevent disease.
The European Commission failed to get enough support for its proposal to reauthorise the use of glyphosate, the world’s most widely used pesticide which is associated with risks of cancer and other health disorders, for another ten years. It is the second time in two months that EU governments fail to reach the required majority to adopt the Commission’s plans. HEAL urges the European Commission to withdraw its proposal for a renewal based on the amount of scientific evidence warranting serious health impacts.
106 European civil society organisations call on EU Commission President von der Leyen to withdraw the proposal to renew glyphosate's approval, in light of new compelling evidence that the herbicide causes leukaemia in young rats.
HEAL and several other organisations are calling on Permanent Representatives of the European Union to protect European citizens by opposing the Commission's proposal for a 10-year renewal of glyphosate's approval.
Twenty years ago, I realised that environmental pollution is linked to ill health and serious acute and chronic diseases, like cancer, asthma and respiratory diseases. This is when I launched into my environmental health journey and founded HEAL. It became clear to me that our ways of living and the environmental pollution resulting from that impacted our health. I wanted to know more about the impacts and the extent, how much of it was preventable, and what role and power policy-making could have in it....
The European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), voted on the draft proposal for a Sustainable use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR) and the non-binding objection to the renewal of the widely used pesticide glyphosate. While the objection for non-renewal of glyphosate failed, the SUR was adopted, but in order to truly protect health more ambition is needed.
More than 75 health and environment groups call upon all EU member states and members of the EU Parliament to support a strong Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR) without further delays.
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and its members have written to MEPs in the EP ENVI committee, calling on them to support pesticide reduction in the EU, ahead of a vote on the draft Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation (SUR) on 24 October 2023.
