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Child safetySafety first Improving child safety is a top priority for the commission, say Androulla Vassiliou and Meglena KunevaO Joanne Vincenten (left) discusses results of child safety report cards with MEP Arlene McCarthy and commissioners Meglena Kuneva and Androulla Vassilioun 6 May, the European Child Safety Alliance published child safety report cards for 24 countries and a European summary report. The report cards give the participating countries a clear view of performance gaps and actions required to reduce injury-related death and disability among Europe’s most vulnerable citizens – children. The report card, co-funded by the commission’s public health programme, scores the uptake and enforcement of over 100 proven good practices, which cover a range of risk areas including child-related products, transport, water, leisure and home safety. One of the positive results reported is that 14 countries, for which this is the second report card, have all made progress since the first assessment in 2007. Yet there is still much to be done. Many people are surprised to learn that injury is one of the leading causes of child death in Europe, but about 25 children aged 0 to 18 die needlessly in the EU every single day as the result of an injury. While we are making progress on the issue in Europe, the inequalities between countries highlighted in the child safety report card 2009 show that the issue of child injury ties directly to major social, politicaland economic themes. There is a four-fold difference in child injury death rates between countries with the highest and lowest rates, and if individual causes are factored in, such as poisonings or burns, the inequalities get even larger. As commissioners responsible for health and for consumers, the two portfolios within the directorate general for health and consumers (DG Sanco), we feel it is critical to call attention to the findings of the child safety report cards, and to demonstrate our joint concern over these unnecessary deaths and the leading health burden that injuries place on parents and families. We are unified in our commitment to making Europe’s children safer and to ensuring that the internal market, environment and infrastructure underscore this priority. We take on the responsibility of saving and improving children’s lives by supporting the EU’s and member states’ adoption and implementation of the child safety measures which are proven to work. Yet there are barriers to adopting good practice for child safety. These include a lack of knowledge, competing funding priorities within government, market pressures, divided responsibility for child safety across sectors and lack of follow-up to ensure European directives are transposed and enforced at the national level. There are many reasons why investment has not been commensurate with the size of the problem, but we are working to address the shortfall. One step forward is our joint collaboration and multisector approach to enhance the safety and health of European children. While DG health and consumers is responsible for consumer product safety and health, other parts of the commission have responsibility for areas that are also critical to child safety. These include transport, justice, education, and“We are unified in our commitment to making Europe’s children safer and to ensuring that the internal market, environment and infrastructure underscore this priority” 6 PARLIAMENT MAGAZINE 11 May 2009 Issue 288 11 May 2009Moving forward together Joe Borg on the maritime action plan, surveillance at sea and how Europe’s coastal regions can confront common challenges“the development of cost efficient coastal infrastructure will ensure a return on Europe’s investment” European elections Danuta Hübne European Commission European Commission Enterprise and Industry Enterprise and Industry Tuesday 3 November 2009 The Stanhope, BrusselsNominations are now open: www.theparliament.com/m Agriculture Culture and Education Development Economic and Monetary Affairs Employment and Social Affairs Energy Environment Food Safety Health Internal Market and Consumer Affairs Justice and Civil Liber Issue 288 11 May 2009newsanalysis 6 Safety first Improving child safety is a top priority for the commission, say Androulla Vassiliou and Meglena Kunevacoverstory Maritime policy 23 Moving forward together Joe Borg believes now is the time to harness Europe’s maritime potential8 The star of the show catherinestihlerEditorial team Managing editor Brian Johnson Martin Banks Martha Moss Francesca Ross Louise Tait International Press Centre Boulevard Charlemagne 1 Box 2 Brussels 1041 Tel +32 (0)2 285 0828 newsdesk@theparliament. www.theparliament.com Editorial board Editor Catherine Stihler MEP Edi Child safetySafety first Improving child safety is a top priority for the commission, say Androulla Vassiliou and Meglena KunevaO Joanne Vincenten (left) discusses results of child safety report cards with MEP Arlene McCarthy and commissioners Meglena Kuneva and Androulla Vassilioun 6 May, the Europ newsanalysisLeft to right: Commissioner Meglena Kuneva, chair of parliaments internal market and consumer protection committee Arlene McCarthy, commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, European Child Safety Alliance director Joanne Vincentenregional policy. To ensure child safety issues do not fall through Obituary | Sir Neil MacCormickThe star of the show Ian Hudghton remembers Sir Neil MacCormick, who died last month aged 67 ormer MEP and internationally respected law professor Neil MacCormick died peacefully at his home in Edinburgh on 5 April 2009, following a year-long battle with cancer. I great newsanalysisJetting for change Current European slot allocation rules are in need of revision, says Jonathan BreezeThis week in Strasbourg, MEPs will vote to suspend the ‘useit-or-lose-it’ principle which applies to the allocation of landing slots at EU airports. This follows a proposal from the Eur European electionsWorking for EU Danuta Hübner speaks to Martha Moss about the importance of the elections and how strong EU institutions can help overcome the economic crisisD Regional policy commissioner Danuta Hübner, who is standing as a candidate in Junes parliament electionsanuta Hübner wants newsanalysisPower to the people thought back over all stages of my political career before presenting my candidacy for the European parliament. From Olevano Romano medieval landscapes, where I have been the mayor for five years, to the Roman corridor of the regional council presidency, to the Commit European ElectionsTaking a stand tand for the Euros! Why did you want to go and do a thing like that? There are of course a number of reasons, some edifying and others... Well frankly not. The key is of course, a rampaging ego. The level of self-belief required to sustain the fiction that anybody, o Prof. Silvano Focardi Rector of the University of Siena Full Professor of Ecology E-mail: rettore@unisi.it; focardi@unisi.itSilvano Focardi has been Rector of the University of Siena since 2006 and full professor of Ecology (scientific-disciplinar sector BIO/07) since 1990. He is Dean of the Faculty European ElectionsAll for one... The EU must work together if it wants to overcome the economic crisis, argues Guy Verhofstadt strong European coalition is now more needed more than ever. A coalition across country and party boundaries, a coalition to fight the economic crisis that has hit Europe so newsanalysisis realistic, though, is a single European financial supervisor. Not a coordinating association of national control authorities, but a newly created and fully competent European body. In not doing so, we will increase the threat of the disintegration of the unified market that is already European ElectionsTime to reflectOAt the close of the current parliamentary term, Martin Banks reflects on the past five years only after Barroso took on board MEPs’ concerns about some of the original nominations. Perhaps the best example, however, of parliament’s growing influence has been the ste newsanalysisEurope at a crossroads Europe must remain faithful to its core values to take on the challenges of the 21st century, argues Rodi Kratsa-TsagaropoulouThe June 2009 elections take place at a critical moment when our society and its citizens face unprecedented global challenges. The economi CÁCERES, CANDIDATE CITY FOR EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE 2016With almost 90.000 inhabitants, Cáceres is the second largest city in Extremadura. Capital city of the Province of the same name, it is situated only 45 Km. away from the Monfragüe National Park, one of the most beautiful natural enclaves i specialreportThe European spirit robably very few people in Europe know that on 9 May 1950 the first move was made towards the creation of what is now known as the European Union. Everything began that day. That is why during the Milan summit of EU leaders in 1985 it was decided to celebrate 9 May a Europe dayThree cheers for Europe Peace, prosperity and stability are something to celebrate, writes Graham WatsonThis year, Europe Day falls on a Saturday, which is bad luck for those who would otherwise be given a public holiday. For my own part I will use 9 May as an oasis of rest between the end specialreportstructure and that all important feel good factor. It is, after all, supposed to be a celebration. So how should we mark Mr Schuman’s day? Well, not with costumes, flags and brass bands alone. It’s not that I have anything against these per se (and who could object to a hearty Ode to Jo Fisheries-induced evolution FinE is an international research project investigating the prevalence and consequence of evolutionary changes caused by fishing in European waters. FinE is developing new scientific tools required for monitoring and forecasting evolutionary changes to manage Europe’s fis coverstoryMoving forward together urope, a continent located between two oceans and four seas, has nearly 70,000 kilometres of coastline. Europeans have always been among the world’s leading seafarers, and they remain so today. Nowadays, over 40 per cent of the EU’s internal trade is carried out by maritime policy EU Maritime daySave our seas Following years of abject failure, hope is on the horizon for Europe’s fishermen, writes Struan Stevenson e need a new vision for the future of our fishing industry. For years I have argued that the common fisheries policy (CFP) has been an abject failure coverstoryCompetitive clustersTMaritime clusters are integral to Europe’s world class maritime sector, and landlocked countries have a big part to play, says Niko Wijnolst Czech EU presidency conference on maritime clusters in landlocked countries underscores. Fisheries and maritime affairs commissi Maritime policyMaking waves The EU should exploit the sea as a creator of wealth, argues Michel DelebarreTMichel Delebarre is first vice president at the Committee of the Regions and mayor of Dunkirkhe history of Europe is inextricably tied to the sea, from the Greeks and Romans, who laid the founda coverstoryShoring up for recoveryLEuropean maritime day is an opportunity, says the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), to highlight the role regions can play in tackling the economic downturn. Martin Banks reportsast month, the commission published a communication on supporting develo EU Executive THE EXPERTISE AND THE REPUTATION OF THE COLLEGE OF EUROPE + THE EUROPEAN BUSINESS SUMMIT NETWORK + THE EXPERIENCE OF A FEDERATION REPRESENTING MORE THAN 50 SECTORS = THE PROGRAMME YOU NEED TO BOOST DRIVE YOUR BUSINESS IN EUROPE !Programme 2009Seminar 125 May 2009 : Europe’s food agri- insideeuPromising partnersGermany should prove to be a reliable partner for Europe following this month’s presidential election, says Werner LangenOn 23 May, members of the European parliament, the Bundestag, Länder politicians and other delegates will decide on who will be Germany’s next federal pr World health assemblyLook WHO’s talking Next week’s world health assembly congress in Geneva is particularly timely but looks set to be overshadowed by an ongoing international political issue that refuses to go away. Martin Banks reports or over 50 years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has pla insideeuAre you number 12? Cross-border cooperation is essential in halting the spread of viral hepatitis, says Nadine Piorkowsky ccording to the World Health Organisation, one in 12 people worldwide are infected with hepatitis B or C, including more than 23 million people in Europe. Shockingly, up International family dayMarket logic The concept of work needs to be properly defined to improve gender equality in the marketplace, argues Anna Záborská“TAnna Záborská is chair of parliament’s women’s rights and gender equality committeehe man who rears pigs is a productive, the man who teaches men Cultural diversity dayUnited in diversity We must work together to promote and protect cultural diversity, says Jean LambertT Jean Lambert is a member of parliament’s employment and social affairs committeehe world day for cultural diversity, dialogue and development is marked each year on 21 May, a insideeuGagged by hypocrisyGovernments are guilty of hypocrisy and neglect over press freedom, says Oliver Money-KyrleThis year the Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) marked world press freedom day by drawing attention to the hypocrisy of governments that demand press freed Westinghouse AP1000TMOn schedule for 2013With the on-time completion of the first pour of basemat structural concrete, the first of four Westinghouse Electric Company AP1000 nuclear power plants is on schedule to TMbe completed by 2013 in China. Westinghouse, the nuclear industry technology leader,