Home > Activities & Projects > The European Environment and Health Process

Since 1989 the governments in Europe have been co-operating in the area of Environment and Health. It started with a European Charter on Environment and Health adopted in Frankfurt in 1989. After that there has been a Ministerial Conference every 5th year when new steps have been taken towards a better environment and health in Europe. The latest one was in Budapest in 2004 where the ministers agreed on a Childrens´ Environment and Health Action Plan for Europe, CEHAPE.

The CEHAPE describes four Regional Priority Goals: Water and sanitation, Injuries and accidents, Air quality and Chemicals, noise, other physical agents and occupational health.

The ministers also agreed on a joint Declaration, the Budapest Declaration which is a follow up of the London´99 Declaration laying down goals and actions.

All policy documents can be found on this WHO website: http://www.euro.who.int/eehc/policy/policy available in different langueses.

The 52 countries of Europe are now in the process of developing national Childrens´ Environment and Health Action Plans. This is a joint responsibility for Health and Social Welfare Departments and Environment Departments.

WHO is co-ordinating this process through the European Environment and Health Committee, EEHC. All relevant documents can be found at www.euro.who.int/eehc

The page also includes a web-map of the progress in each country and also by each topic. This is an important tool in order to follow and participate in the different ongoing activities.

Linked to this is also EU´s development of an Environment and Health Strategy.

Most of the issues covered in this process are of main importance and interest to environmental health professionals. IFEH´ Europe Group, EFEH,  has been deeply involved in the work. As it has now a more national focus our input can to a large extent be through the respective national activities. Our training and experience is a vital instrument in implementing the different plans and projects.

EFEH follows the work by EEHC and thus the follow up of London´99 and Budapest Declarations.

Visit the EEHC website:
www.euro.who.int/eehc