To: Commissioners’ Project Group on the Clean Industrial Deal
CC: Björn Seibert; Ilze Juhansone
Dear Executive Vice-President Ribera,
Dear Executive Vice-President Séjourné,
Dear Executive Vice-President Mînzatu,
Dear Commissioner Hoekstra,
Dear Commissioner Roswall,
Dear Commissioner Jørgensen,
Dear Commissioner Šefčovič,
Dear Commissioner Dombrovskis,
Dear Commissioner Albuquerque,
Dear Commissioner Tzitzikostas,
You are currently preparing the Clean Industrial Deal for launch at the end of this month.
The EU Healthy Air Coalition (EUHAC) brings together non-profit health expert voices in the EU representing diverse constituencies of the health sector, including doctors and other health care professionals, scientists, public health experts and groups, respiratory or cancer patients and health insurance funds.
We express our great concern that from media reports and statements on the Clean Industrial Deal we see no evidence that reducing air pollution is included in considerations on this “Clean” Deal.
We call on you to make the Clean Industrial Deal a Deal to clean up Europe’s air, for better health for all.
The science is crystal clear: air pollution remains the top environmental risk to health in Europe, resulting in hundreds of thousands of premature deaths and hundreds of billions of euros of costs annually. Everyone is vulnerable to harm caused by air pollution and our level of vulnerability is outside of individual control, as it evolves with age, health condition, socio-economic status, as well as where we live, study, or work.
There is a large body of evidence showing that air pollution is a cause for all major non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, stroke, diabetes, dementia, and lung cancer, as well as acute respiratory infections, with growing evidence on adverse impacts on mental and neurological health.
Despite the huge disease burden caused by air pollution, most of the health and economic impacts of air pollution are preventable. We take note of the priorities outlined in Political Guidelines of the President von der Leyen including a commitment to step up preventative health and rising to the challenge of mental health.
By including clean air as a goal in the upcoming Clean Industrial Deal you will be able to save costs and protect those most vulnerable – children, pregnant women, the elderly, those with pre-existing health conditions or facing socio-economic health inequities.
We thank you in advance for considering our call and would be happy to meet with your relevant team members to provide further information.
Sincerely,
Anne Stauffer, Deputy Director
Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL)
On behalf of the EU Healthy Air Coalition (EUHAC) founding members
Dr Ole Johan Bakke – Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME)
Dr Wendy Yared, Director – Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL)
Christine Strous, Board Member – European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA)
Dimitris Kontopidis, Chair – European Lung Foundation (ELF)
Dr. Milka Sokolović, Director General – European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)
Prof. Barbara Hoffmann, Advocacy Council Chair – European Respiratory Society (ERS)
Xavier Brenez, Chief Executive Officer – Independent Health Insurance Funds (Mutualités Libres)
