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EU: Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Anne Milton) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. EU Health Ministers met in Sopot, Poland for an informal meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on 5 and 6 July. I represented the UK. There was a discussion on the prevention and treatment of communication disorders among children. Member states stressed the importance of improving access to screening for communication disorders and early intervention. The presidency presented an item on organ donation, which focused on sharing of best practice to improve donation rates across the EU. The presidency highlighted the risks presented by the growing availability of designer drugs. Member states encouraged the sharing of information to help address the issue. Member states received an update on the recent E. coli outbreak in Germany and France and the measures put forward by the European Commission to control the marketing of seeds from Egypt. In a discussion on health determinants, diet and physical activity, member states emphasised the importance of addressing inequalities between and within member states, through a range of mechanisms including social, economic and behavioural change. During a discussion on e-health, member states outlined development at a national level and considered work at EU level. Finally, Sweden raised the issue of the environmental impact of pharmaceutical production in third countries. This attracted support from several member states, including the UK.