Congress report - European Health Forum Gastein

12
Preface
David Byrne
European Health Forum Gastein 2001
In 2001, the European Health Forum Gastein drew our attention to
one of the crucial challenges of health policy making in Europe: the
need to integrate health issues across different areas of policy. This
volume brings together the different presentations and contributions into a useful
background document on this important topic.
It is important to recognise that the health of our citizens is not only – and perhaps not even
primarily – influenced by decisions taken in the health policy sphere. This is why we have to
understand how decisions in other policy areas – such as economic and social policy or
environmental and agricultural policy – impact on public health and how conversely, these
policies can contribute towards achieving a high level of health protection in Europe.
The 2001 Gastein Forum focussed on a number of key areas of policy which are particularly
important in this respect: trade and health, the Single European Market, the Common
Agricultural Policy and health and information technology. The message is encouraging and
deserves to be spread: there is considerable scope for health gain if health considerations
are systematically taken into account when taking decisions on policy orientations.
Implementing this conclusion must be a clear priority for policy makers at all level of
government.
Within the European Community, we have made considerable progress in this respect. Health
plays a central role in most of the Commission’s cross-cutting policy initiatives. Let me give
three examples. First, the Community’s sustainable development project, where health is
mentioned as one of four major challenges our societies are facing. Second, e-Europe, which
promotes the use of IT in different areas of European societies, includes a large health
chapter; and third, in the Community’s enlargement process, health issues are being actively
taken into consideration.
But much more needs to be done, and the proceedings of the 2001 EHFGH published in this
volume provide ample illustration of some of the problems we have to address. There is still
a lack of awareness about the relevance of other policies to health, and much too little cooperation
across government services to address shortcoming. Often, health enters the
political agenda too late, and with a limited focus on specific health threats. Protecting and
improving health is a vast challenge which requires intensive political commitment. The EHFG
provides ammunition needed to secure the necessary support.
The Gastein conference has again proven its worth in providing a platform for discussions,
reflections and encounters between different partners interested in health across Europe. Its
real value lies in providing opportunities for an all-European dialogue across the boundaries
of day to day work. This book captures some of this unique Gastein spirit, and should be
required reading for policy makers across Europe
David Byrne
European Commisioner for Health and Consumer Protection
International Forum Gastein, Tauernplatz 1, A-5630 Bad Hofgastein
Tel.: +43 (6432) 7110-70, Fax: Ext. 71, e-mail: info@ehfg.org, website: www.ehfg.org