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Issue 277 10 November 2008 “AN INTROSPECTIVE, PROTECTIONIST WORLD WILL CREATE A CLIMATE THAT MAKES IT HARDER TO RECOVER – WITH NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR BUSINESSES AND FOR JOBS” New trade commissioner Catherine Ashton believes a free market approach will help Europe out of recession Trading places GLOBAL HEALTH Poverty-related diseases Solomon Nwaka, Stefan Kaufmann and Des Turner Antibiotic awareness day John Bowis, Zsuzanna Jakab Diabetes day PLUS Gisela Kallenbach on being followed by the Stasi and winning a Parliament Magazine MEP Award DIVIDED ISLAND Andreas Mavroyiannis on new hope for a Cyprus solution LOCAL DEVELOPMENT This year’s European Development Days will focus on cooperation at the local level, writes Louis Michel Issue 277 10 November 2008 “AN INTROSPECTIVE, PROTECTIONIST WORLD WILL CREATE A CLIMATE THAT MAKES IT HARDER TO RECOVER – WITH NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR BUSINESSES AND FOR JOBS” New trade commissioner Catherine Ashton believes a free market approach will help Europe out of recession Trading ETF project helps to tackle rural poverty in Kyrgyzstan A key stakeholder in a pioneering poverty reduction scheme in Kyrgyzstan, bank manager Ulan Kydyraliev, 44, understands that tackling rural poverty in the remote mountainous region of Kochkor is not as simple as merely throwing money at the pro Issue 277 10 November 2008 NEWSANALYSIS 6 Trading places The EU must rise the challenges posed by the current economic downturn, writes Catherine Ashton 25 Dealing with diseases The EU can do a great deal to enhance research on poverty-related diseases, but providing support for local projects is CATHERINESTIHLER EDITORIAL TEAM Managing editor Brian Johnson Martin Banks Sarah Collins Chris Jones Matt Williams 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 TRADE | Catherine Ashton Trading places The EU must rise to the challenges posed by the current economic downturn, writes Catherine Ashton I do not underestimate the challenges ahead as we face the economic downturn in the wake of the financial crisis that has swept across the world. We have, the NEWSANALYSIS NEWSANALYSIS World Trade Organisation, to see how to move forward the Doha round of world trade talks and conclude the technical negotiations – negotiations that were substantially complete when the talks stalled in July. As leaders gather for the G20 meeting in Washington, I hope th ADVANCED-EVAL A tool package for advanced evaluation of RD policies www.advanced-eval.eu A Leading European Research Project on Advanced Methods of RD-policy Evaluation Project main goals Improved learning about the economic and social consequences of rural development (RD) programmes is to be seen NEWSANALYSIS Negotiating the peace The EU should encourage Turkey to end the “illegal” occupation of Cyprus, advises Andreas Mavroyiannis F ollowing President Demetris Christofias’ initiative last March and numerous preparatory meetings, fully fledged negotiations began in Cyprus in Septemb REGIONS | Green Energy A new green deal If we get energy policy right, centuries of population change could be turned on their head almost overnight, writes Scottish MEP Alyn Smith T his week, the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions will meet in Europe’s energy capital, Aberdeen, Scot NEWSANALYSIS NEWSANALYSIS Alyn Smith says that EU coastal regions are uniquely placed to lead on green energy The gathering will bring together experts and policymakers from the length and breadth of the EU, with a wealth of experience in applying existing EU rules as well as strong views on the pro AWARD CATEGORIES Corporate Public Affairs Professional of the Year Sponsored by WINNER: Zeger Vercouteren, Johnson & Johnson Think-Tank of the Year Sponsored by EPAD AWARDS 2008 European Public Affairs Directory WINNER: Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) WINNER: Mark Mardell, BBC Campaign NEWSANALYSIS Pointing the finger The European parliament needs to move fast to decide on standard measures for fingerprinting of children for passports, argues Carlos Coelho N ew rules on standards for security features and biometrics in passports and travel documents issued by EU member states e EUROPEAN PASSPORTS | Fingerprinting MEPs are concerned that fingerprint data could be used for purposes other than passport identification Carlos Coelho is a member of the civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee Another of my main concerns is the need to clarify the purpose of this re Albania: The Democracy Endangered S ince 1991, Albania, this small “forgotten” country of the Balkans, has been experiencing a relative democratic process while facing numerous electoral violence and irregularities. The reform of the electoral code in Albania followed a constitutional reform ini PROFILE | Gisela Kallenbach Regional rebel There can’t be many MEPs who have been trailed by the East German secret police. But, as Martin Banks reports, that is the claim to fame of German Green MEP Gisela Kallenbach E ast Germany’s ministry for state security, known as the Stasi, featured p NEWSANALYSIS NEWSANALYSIS same area would not suffer the physical consequences of air and water pollution. “My health suffered as a result of being brought up in such an environment and I felt responsible as a Christian and a parent to do something.” After graduating as a chemical engineer, she INDUSTRY COMMENT In the Telecommunications Garden by Lars-Hendrik Röller, President European School of Management and Technology ompetition watchdogs are often compared to gardeners. They mark out the beds, ensure diversity of species, and generally encourage growth. But what sets competition watc GLOBAL HEALTH | Antibiotic awareness day A growing threat T Antibiotic resistance is rising across the EU, but the message is still not getting through, warns Zsuzsanna Jakab healthcare-associated infections, varied from less than one per cent (in two member states) to more than 25 per cent (in 1 SPECIALREPORT Since their discovery, antibiotics have revolutionised the way we treat patients but, unfortunately, they are also liable to misuse. For instance, they are often unnecessarily prescribed for viral infections, against which they have no effect. As part of antibiotic awareness day, the GLOBAL HEALTH | Antibiotic awareness day Sending out the message The European antibiotic awareness day message of rational antibiotic use must reach every EU citizen, urges John Bowis A reception to mark the first-ever European antibiotic awareness day will take place in the European parliament, St B uilding Innovative Partnerships Brings the Best Science to the Most Neglected Diseases: the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative For example, parasitic diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) cause substantial morbidity and mortality wor We have faced up to malaria Have you? • • current financing gap of about US$ 4.3 billion, Commit to long-term pledging to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) by 2010, Support the Affordable Medicines Facility for Malaria (AMFm) to ensure that the best drug therapies, SPECIALREPORT Dealing with diseases The EU can do a great deal to enhance research on poverty-related diseases, but providing support for local projects is just as important, Solomon Nwaka tells Matt Williams T he EU is taking some decisive steps to tackle poverty-related diseases such as malaria GLOBAL HEALTH | Poverty-related diseases Nwaka says that there has been a lot of progress in this area dialogue between the EU and disease-endemic countries can over the last few years. Most of the cutting-edge research, he act as a platform for developing the sort of effective local innosays, is d Healthy research needs global alignment T he Dutch funding organisation WOTRO Science for Global Development is strongly committed to the alignment of the agenda for international health research. Health related research that meets developing countries’ needs figures prominently in WOTRO’s portf The European Malaria Vaccine Initiative: Today’s Catalyst for Tomorrow’s Vaccines H undreds of millions of people suffer from the effects of malaria, and this parasitic disease annually kills more than one million people, most of them African children. A safe, effective, and affordable vaccine SPECIALREPORT New horizons The EU needs to fund more research into TB if the millennium development goal of eradicating the illness by 2015 is to be reached, says Stefan Kaufmann E very day more than 100,000 people on this globe become infected with the agent that causes tuberculosis (TB). More t GLOBAL HEALTH | Poverty-related diseases TB is often complicated by other diseases such as HIV, especially in at-risk countries such as South Africa the promise that a first new drug candidate developed within FP6 will enter clinical testing in the near future. Whilst it is important to take these to the world’s poorest countries The GAVI Alliance is a public-private partnership committed to saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health through the widespread use of vaccines. Immunisation coverage on the rise in GAVI -supported countries Coverage (%) 80 Projections GAVI Allian How do we deliver global health breakthroughs? We think about it. Because innovative thinking provides the foundation for our ground-breaking partnerships and initiatives. At Tibotec, we are dedicated to finding medical breakthroughs in treatment, prevention and diagnostics for HIV, HCV and other se SPECIALREPORT A preventable killer Despite its huge impact on the developing world, until recently pneumococcal disease has been under-recognised and under-funded, writes Des Turner P neumococcal disease kills up to one million children under the age of five each year, and more than 90 per cent o GLOBAL HEALTH | Poverty related diseases Photo still from the TB/HIV documentary filmed in South Africa prevent and treat pneumococcal disease in particular in the developing world. The report also emphasises the importance of recognising pneumococcal disease as a global killer. We recommend that p EDCTP: Sharing the power of science EDCTP aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines, diagnostics and microbicides against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve this, EDCTP funds research by o GLOBAL HEALTH | Diabetes day A diabetic timebomb D Thomas Ulmer is a medical doctor and member of the environment, public health and food safety committee Last year diabetes deaths made up six per cent of total world mortality – a figure Thomas Ulmer says can be improved with stronger policies SPECIALREPORT Self-control Self-monitoring diabetes can reduce the risk of complications and the burden on health systems, says Dagmar Kownatka D iabetes, particularly type two diabetes, is a growing challenge in Europe. However, empowering people to monitor their own blood glucose levels can hel GLOBAL HEALTH | Diabetes Day An insulin pump, which also works with an implant to display blood sugar levels (morbidity) in people with type two diabetes using self-monitoring. Based on information from over 3000 patients’ records, researchers found a 32 per cent lower risk of death and a 51 per INSIDEEU Twin to win Twinning agreements between local authorities in both north and south offer new possibilities for improving development aid, suggests Louis Michel T he European Development Days this year are dedicated to the local dimension of development because I am convinced that issues s DEVELOPMENT DAYS | Commissioner PROFILE | Anneli Jäätteenmäki Louis Michel is European commissioner for development and humanitarian aid The real question, however, is how can we maximise the beneficial effect of this new cooperation model? How can we involve local authorities in the process of INSIDEEU Cutting out the middleman Direct cooperation between local authorities in Europe and Africa is the best way to speed up progress towards the millennium development goals, says Roland Bouiti-Viaudio O ver the last few decades, the process of decentralisation has continued apace across the DEVELOPMENT DAYS | Twinning Cities Many towns were destroyed during the Congolese civil war in 1997, but EU development aid has helped rebuild it over the last 10 years Roland BouitiViaudio is mayor of Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo, and a member of the AIMF significant issues to overcome, n For legislators who need a reason to take action against torture . . . Here’s just one out of six million. No torture. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Article 5: United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights This year we cele EUROPEAN REGIONAL CHAMPIONS AWARDS 2008 Thank you to all members and alternate members of the Committee of the Regions who voted on this year’s European Regional Champions Awards shortlist in the following categories: Communication Champion Cultural Champion Employment Champion Energy Champion Inn